Once I was satisfied that Danny wouldn't bother me in the near future, I tried to rest but quickly realized that I still hadn't eaten anything. To avoid embarrassment, I waited until my stomach wouldn't let me anymore. Peeking out of my door, I discovered that he'd made up a plate. On it lay a turkey bacon wrap with chips and some carrot sticks. He must have really gotten the hint because I didn't even hear him knock. I took the food quietly, not wanting to give him the victory of me accepting care from him again. After eating, I shuffled across the hall to shower, rinsing days of dust and grime from my skin.

It felt nice to slip into something clean, and comfy after wearing the same thing since I'd been arrested. I put on a tank top, and after a moment's thought, put the sweater Isaac let me borrow back on. The cotton shorts and oversized item made me feel like myself again; more human, if I could even call myself that anymore. Not particularly wanting to dwell on that, I ran a brush through my hair, and split it into two french braids. From there, I would have tried to distract myself with some schoolwork, but I didn't really have any and I wasn't in the mood to talk to Stiles...or try and diffuse the Meg bomb yet.

Instead, I curled up in my bed and put The Lord of the Rings into my laptop. Specifically Fellowship but I'd be damned if I wasn't going to watch as much as I could before falling asleep. As I went to wrap myself in a blanket, I heard something crinkle under it. Tilting my head towards it, I ruffled it until three balls of paper rolled out near my feet. I grabbed one, trying to suss out what it was, and wondering why it wasn't tucked away in a proper home. Unable to, I opened the ball, slowly, the crunching of the paper adding to the suspense. Once I saw it, my hands went slack and it floated to the floor.

It was a drawing of the unknown tailed creature's eyes. I found myself freezing up for the first time in days, the craziness of other things having put that into the rear view. Not that it should, I mean, this thing is what got me into this whole mess. I took a breath, and a second, regaining use of my body to throw the other papers onto the floor, and swaddle myself in the soft material of the blanket. The title menu of my movie played on as I rocked back and forth. As I sat there amongst the pillows, I tried to think of everything that had been going on the past whirlwind of a couple weeks. I had regained a childhood friend, got arrested with them, worried everyone else in my life, got bitten by an Alpha werewolf- oh and I'm an Empath or whatever who might have made my Empath mom go looney tunes. It all made finals look like a piece of cake.

Though I had stopped rocking, I stayed sitting, just staring blankly at my wall for an unknown amount of time. It wasn't until a knock sounded from my window that I snapped out of it. At first I thought it was my door, but when I got up to look there, I found nothing. Turning back to the room, I noticed a shadowed figure behind my curtain. Biting my lip, I cautiously walked over, jumping slightly when the knock sounded again, a little more hesitant this time. Pulling back the curtain, my eyes widened at the sight of Isaac standing outside my bedroom with my duffle bag. I slowly opened the door, grateful that the screen was out from when I used to have a box fan there.

"Uhm...hi?" I greeted, raising an eyebrow at the other teen. "Why are you at my window?"

"Well you're brother was pacing the living room, and kept looking over here…" He started, pointing toward the front door. "And he kinda still scares me so-"

"You decided to brave a window?" I smiled slightly, not sure what to make of the situation. "What if this was the wrong room?"

"Oh well, you're mom's not home, and his is very intent on his pacing so I figured," He shrugged, taking a breath. "Worst case, I'd get no answer and try the next one?"

We both kind of just stared at each other for a few minutes before he cleared his throat awkwardly, a hand wrapping around the back of his neck nervously.

"Uhm can I-Can I come in? I mean if you don't want company that's fine, but I figured you might after-."

"Oh right, of course!" I said, looking around quickly before holding an arm out to help him. "Come on in..."

He chuckled, passing me the bag before awkwardly gesturing for me to move out of the way. The sill to the window sat at about hip level for him, so he tried to shift so that he would get his torso in first, then just lift himself in. Unfortunately, it wasn't particularly graceful, and I had to contain the giggle that threatened to spill out watching the process. Finally, he'd made it in, his toes catching on the sill as he took his first step into my room. I gasped as he stumbled, arms flailing to retain his balance. He stopped just short of where I'd moved, his eyes wide as if he wasn't sure he'd be able to avoid crashing into me. Quickly glancing at my door worriedly, he coughed, trying to play the whole thing off.

"Right, so that could have been better…" He pointed backward with this thumb. "But I didn't crash, so I'm counting that as a success."

"Oh yes, of course." I bit my lip slightly, barely containing the giggles. "You should try out for the gymnastics team."

Isaac flushed slightly, shaking his head quickly at my comment. Pointing to the bag, which was pretty heavy now that I was paying attention to it he told me that it contained my backpack along with whatever else I might have left behind. I nodded and, and thanked him quietly, still surprised he came back at all. I was sure I'd scared him away when I'd yelled at my brother...and then Derek on top of it. We once again fell silent. I rocked back and forth on my heels, not sure what to do with a boy that not only I've had a crush on for years, but a boy that snuck in my window.

At first, I hoped he would talk first, since I was sure he wanted to fill me in on whatever happened with Derek. And that he was worried enough about me to come back, but He didn't. Instead, he stood there fidgeting with his fingers, while I found myself unable to speak, uncertainty coiling around my spine. Eventually, I set to work putting away what was returned to me, quickly picking up the papers from the floor.

Even though I was moving, I felt cold without my blanket, the shorts not helping. Crossing my arms at a sudden chill that overcame me, I avoided looking at Isaac, staring at his shoes, and hoping that one of us would finally break the awkward silence. I'd just about thought I would drown in the awkward tension in the air when Isaac seemed to notice my caution, leaning forward slightly to get a better look at me. It was difficult to keep eye contact, but I managed it, and even managed not to squirm under the intensity of his gaze.

"Penny for your thoughts?" I raised an eyebrow curiously, because honestly, he was going to need to be a bit more specific.

"Uh...any of them, really...since neither of us have said anything since I climbed through your window-very badly I'll add- and a lot happened today so...wherever you want to start is good with me. I-if you wanted to talk about any of it, that is."

I laughed awkwardly, which helped him to relax a little before I responded. "Honestly, I don't really know what to say about…any of it. I was so mad at Danny and Derek, and when he started to lay into you, I just-"

I paused, trying to find the best way to put it. "Snapped, I guess? I just needed to get it all out without being interrupted, ya know? And I wasn't about to let him get mad at you for something I did. And…a-and to top it all off, I find out about this whole other side to my family that they've all been hiding from me."

I took a breath, holding onto my arm and looking back at the floor. After a short pause, I finally admitted what I felt about this whole day.

"It just feels like the ground is crumbling under my feet and I can't do anything to stop it."

I waited for a few beats before looking up at him, giving him permission to say something, anything that thought could help. And to his credit, he seemed like he was trying to find it, but in the end just sighed, with an annoyed chuckle.

"You know…" He ran a hand through his hair holding the back of his head. "I wish I had all the answers for you."

"But you don't…Which is fine." I finished, nodding sadly, "I uh, I kinda had a feeling. Derek's not exactly the sharing type...or Danny for that manner so...we're both stuck in information limbo, huh?"

He nodded and we stood in silence, making me wonder what time it even was. The passing of time was the last thing on my mind today, but now I couldn't help but focus on it. I leaned against the foot of my bed, trying to think of something to say, a topic to switch to. But I couldn't, and to give myself something to do, I grabbed my blanket and wrapped myself in it, trying to block the cold out. Rubbing my arms in with the fleece, I scowled, making Isaac jump with my outburst.

"You know… if television-and the internet-were any indication, werewolves are supposed to radiate heat…does being an empath mean I lose it? Jeez this is annoying."

" I don't know about that but here:" Isaac walked in front of me holding a hand out to me hesitantly. "To validate your research."

I raised an eyebrow at him, slowly shaking a hand free from the confines of my blanket. My hand kind hovered for a moment as I tried to think of the least awkward way to hold his hand. Because of course, Steph you had no problem with him holding your hand earlier, but now you're overthinking it. It was after that thought- and realizing that I was indeed overthinking it- that just I reached forward and tapped my fingers against his wrist. I'd overshot his hand in my nervousness, but I still got his point, letting out a jealous groan.

"Aw, come on!" I dropped my hand, resisting the urge to hug him close for heat siphoning purposes. "How are you so ho-warm, but I'm freezing! It's not fair."

I rewrapped the blanket around me, letting out a pout." My luck it's Derek freezing me out with his alpha powers or something. Or Danny messing with my mind to teach me a lesson."

"Or maybe you're just still finishing the transition…" Isaac shrugged, stepping past me with a shrug. "Who knows but them?"

I was halfway through a humorless laugh when I realized the only thing behind me was my bed. I didn't even notice that he'd toed his shoes off, leaving him in socks, and now? I had Isaac Lahey stretched along the length of my bed, arms behind his head, and just...lounging in the pillows. My mouth opened, and closed, my head tilting as I thought of how to process the scene before me. Unfortunately, I hadn't recovered, so when he looked up at me, he saw this. Giving a curious head tilt at my expression, I forced a sentence out.

"You uh.." I pointed to the bed. "You really like to make yourself at home, huh?"

"Not really." He shook his head, sitting up as he ruffled his hair. "I figured, you're cold and, as we just established...I'm not…So I was just warming up the bed for you?" His eyes widened as he finished his sentence, panic thick in his voice. "And saying that out loud sounded wrong and stupid, but I swear I didn't mean to be creepy about it or anything!"

I felt my eyes widening in surprise, a laugh turning into a hiccup in the back of my throat. I knew he didn't mean anything by it, but then again, I couldn't figure out his thought process. The girl with the crush had thoughts, but the rational nerd who had no experience quickly squashed those. Life isn't a romance novel; he was just trying to be nice. Nothing more, nothing less. No reason to start a wild train of thought that wasn't necessary.

"I was mostly kidding, but thank you..." He nodded, avoiding my gaze as I carefully positioned myself next to him.

I made sure to give him space, keeping myself at the edge of the bed. Looking at my computer, I noticed the movie had decided to autoplay, the music for the shire light and happy. We both just stayed there, watching but not watching the movie before I turned to face him.

"And I don't mean just for the whole...warmth thing." I brushed some stray strands of hair from my face, forcing myself to not look away. "But for everything today… without you I don't know if I would have been able to say the things I said to Danny. Let alone be strong enough to be ignoring him right now. And as for this morning, hell, I probably would have ended up back in jail."

He raised an eyebrow at me, pushing himself into a sitting position, "Why do I feel like there's a 'but' coming?"

I bit my lip and shook my head slightly, "Why? Why are you helping me so much?"

He sighed, falling back down on the bed, his hands resting on his chest for a second before he looked up at me, and gestured up with his hands, "I should be asking you that in all honesty."

I looked at him confused, hugging the blanket closer to myself as he continued.

"We aren't exactly close, not in recent years, and the night my father…" He paused, a far off look in his eyes. He shook his head, continuing.

"That night in the alley, you followed me, having no idea what was going on… And then at school and the police station? You refused to even let me think I was alone...I really should be thanking you, and apologizing...for getting you mixed up in all this."

"No apologies necessary." I shook my head, "I've apparently been involved the whole time. I just know about it now. Helping you, it wasn't even the first domino to fall." No, I just had a strange dream where I was glowing and you were acting very casual/intimate with me….nbd right?

"I suppose." He nodded, tilting his head back in my direction. "The real question is, why are you so surprised to get help when you gave it first?"

I leaned back then, the two of us laying shoulder to shoulder. The warmth coming off him was intoxicating, and I wanted nothing more than to sink into it, but I wouldn't let myself. He wasn't some kind of heating pad, he was a person, and I didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

"Truthfully?" I turned to look at him, "I've always been like that; I'm the one that cares. I give more than I take, and I never really ask for anything in return...something that gets me in trouble, as I'm sure you've noticed."

"I think it's safe to say I have." He agreed, the two of us laughing at the joke.

We stayed silent for a while, the only sounds coming from the movie. Eventually, I decided to change the subject, and proposed a game of twenty questions. Isaac just looked at me weirdly, but nodded after my comment about it being better than staring at the ceiling. At first it was just me asking questions, but Isaac was a good sport and started to ask some of his own. Soon we'd finished our 'allotted questions' and just started to talk about everything and nothing. I don't know at what point the movie ended, but I do vaguely remember putting some acoustic music on my spotify.

I soon learned that Isaac's favorite color was blue, that he was about as terrible at chemistry as I was, and that he was a pisces. Something that sounded like I knew it already, but either way explained a lot about his sensitive, and intuitive mannerisms. I figured given what happened today, he needed at least a little bit of explanation. So, I told Isaac about my dad and how he moved to Chicago, leaving me behind and making my life what it was like today. I told him about how my mother didn't used to be too bad, aside from the strange slip-ups between me and my imaginary friend. I know it still sounded bad, but I guess with her having whatever in my head, maybe it was just something she saw? I still wasn't sure on that one. I didn't tell him about the strange pool dream I had...or how I thought I'd seen myself dead in my mother's arms. I still needed to talk to Danny about that...when and if I talk to Danny about it.

I got warm enough to take his sweater off before I retreated back into the blankets, not even thinking about the fact that I only had the thin strapped tank on under it. I was relaxed for the first time in weeks, and being with Isaac was strangely comforting. Eventually, I was curled on my side, just sort of staring at Isaac's chest as I listened to whatever he was saying at the moment. I fell into this half-awake state, but it was comfortable at least. Isaac stopped mid-sentence, looking at me with a small smile. I must have looked more sleepy than I thought. I blinked rapidly, trying to prove that I wasn't actually asleep, but the very telling yawn that escaped ruined it.

"You should rest...who knows if you actually got any sleep last night." He said, glancing at the clock on my dresser. "Besides it's late I should probably-"

As he moved to leave, my hand escaped the confines of my cocoon, clenching around his sleeve. "Please don't go…"

I had mumbled this, but I knew he'd heard me. I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze, noticing how his were slightly wider in shock and worry. He gulped, looking to the door, and back to me.

"A-are you sure?" Though I knew the real question was 'what about your brother?'

"I don't want to be alone with everything that happened today…" I admitted, biting my lip. "And I don't want to go running to him just yet, he deserves to be iced out for a bit."

He nodded slowly, "Uh, Yeah...sure...I mean it's the least I can do after you yelled a Derek for me, right? He still hasn't talked to me since the phone call. Did I thank you for that by the way?"

"Yeah, yeah I think you did." I nodded, the warm tendrils of sleep slowly curling around me. "But you're welcome anyway."

The last thing I heard was a soft laugh and the exhaustion took over me.

Isaac wasn't sure what to do as he watched Steph fall asleep next to him. It was nice to see her relax for the first time in days, though. She'd been holding this tension ever since she saw him shift. Considering his current situation, he couldn't blame her; who knows when her brother could come and check on her. Despite how scared he was of the prospect, he couldn't leave her, surprised as he was that she'd asked him to stay. She'd been so cautious since he'd gotten back that he thought she was waiting for a reason to boot him.

He carefully pulled her blanket back over her shoulder, looking over at his sweater on the floor. Seeing her still wear it, and with those shorts under it had taken him by surprise, that was for sure, and then she nearly killed him when she just took it off. Then there was how nervous she was to even touch him. He knew he wasn't smooth by any standards, but he didn't think offering his hand to show his body heat required so much thought on her part. Then again, he entered her safe place, and as she pointed out, made himself quite at home.

Isaac sighed, resting a hand under his head as he lay back, staring at the ceiling. He didn't know what it was about her that made him so nervous but so comfortable at the same time. He knew it had nothing to do with her powers, it's been a quality she had since they were kids. He smiled, thinking back to random memories as he noticed the glow in the dark stars they'd stuck on her ceiling were still there. He had a problem with the dark, and she'd gotten them as a surprise one weekend when the other boys were all camping. Telling him that he'll never be alone in the dark, because her stars would look after him.

He glanced at Steph as he felt her tip forward, her forehead resting against his shoulder. He thought back to how peaceful she looked, after everything that happened. She had been putting on a brave face for everyone, only letting him see what she was actually going through. Or maybe he just knew what to look for, even after a few years out of practice. They may have stopped talking, but he never stopped caring, or observing from afar. He wanted to be a star for Steph like she had been for him; proof she was never alone.

Unfortunately, and very much unlike her, he was a coward. There were so many times he wanted to say something, anything to show her that he understood, that he was still in her corner. He never knew how easy it was for her to care, with or without her supernatural abilities. She cared so quickly for him when she saw his black eye, he almost didn't even need to be turning to feel it. He frowned to himself as he moved to get himself more comfortable. He didn't deserve her...she was much better to him than he was to her.

Isaac didn't know how long he laid there, contemplating his worth. It was so commonplace for him that he soon fell asleep, barely even thinking about the fact that he was sharing a bed with someone else-a girl even. He just knew that he felt safe and warm, completely forgetting about the twenty-three year old werewolf just down the hallway. Instead, he soaked up Steph's calm in the same way that she was taking in his warmth. Then something went wrong.

He was pulled out of his sleep by a hand tightly grasping at his chest. Opening his eyes, he looked to see Steph there, clinging to him like she'd forgotten he was there. Her face was contorted in pain and horror, and he could almost taste her fear. She quickly started tossing around, jerking her head back and forth while she mumbled under her breath. He tried to listen, but he couldn't make it out, her mouth not opening enough for the words to properly be formed. Her brow furrowed, and her voice grew louder.

"Meh-Mel? Mum?" She said, her breathing quickening with panic. "Wha-what's going on, why isn't sh-she…"

Suddenly her crying turned into screams, sitting upright in her bed. Isaac quickly went to help her lay back down, but she clawed at his hands, as if it were a part of the dream. Issac let out a his as her nails racked against his arm, but didn't let up, pulling Steph into his chest. As she usually did, she tensed and tried to push him away at him, but he held fast, gently swaying them to try and calm her out of the dream. After a few seconds, her cries died down and he started to mutter nonsense into her hair. He didn't even know what he was saying at his point, but just wanted her to hear something to pull her out of it.

He'd finally gotten her to stop screaming, her hands twisted into his shirt as she fell back into a dreamless sleep when Danny burst through the door. The two boys looked at each other, one with fiery rage, and the other with pure terror. Isaac shouldn't have been as surprised as he was, but he couldn't figure out what to do. He couldn't just drop her, but he couldn't really stay wrapped around her in her bed. Especially with her older brother looking like he was going to murder him before he even tried to move.

"Uh-I-Uh-" He struggled for a moment, the older McGrath daring him to explain himself. "Iswearthisisn'twnatitlookslike! I came by to drop her stuff off, and then we started to talk and then she was falling asleep and when I went to leave, she asked me to stay, but that was hours ago and I didn't want to be the jerk who left her while she was sleeping-especially since nothing happened- and then she-"

"Woah, woah, she's still asleep, keep it down." Danny held his hands out, looking down at his sister.

"Right...right." Isaac whispered, swallowing thickly. "She was...uh...she was having a nightmare, and it woke me up. I wasn't even sure if it would work, but I just kinda hugged her? a-a-and muttered things until she settled….and well, then you came in so I don't need to explain more."

Danny sighed, running his hands through his hair before letting them rest at his hips. Isaac could see the calm he was forcing on himself. The heat of his rage slowly cooled, the two avoiding eye contact as they stared at the sleeping girl. Finally, Danny sighed, pointing at Isaac, his face stern.

"I don't like it, but you can stay...for tonight." He added, looking between the two of them quickly. "But I swear to God Lahey, if I find out you snuck in here again?"

"Don't think that'll be a problem." Isaac whimpered. "Would you believe me if I said you were scaring me more than Derek at the moment?"

The other boy laughed, covering it up by clearing this throat. "Yeah, yeah I would, but you're on thin ice, buddy. If I wasn't already on her shit list, you'd be on the lawn by now."

"I don't doubt it." The teen gulped. "Well uh...I'm just gonna sit here and wait for my heart to stop trying to explode out of my chest...so Good night, I guess?"

"Good night, Isaac." Danny turned to leave, pausing at the door. "And no funny business, kapeesh?"

Isaac rapidly nodded his head, his eyes still wide with terror as Danny closed the door behind him. He waited until he could hear the click of the door a down the hall before letting out the breath he'd been holding. Looking down at Stephanie's relaxed form he sighed.

"If that didn't earn me some courage points, I don't know what will…" He muttered, shaking his head as he tried to adjust into a more comfortable position. "Because that was scary as hell."

Of course there was no response, but he took the silence as affirmation anyway, slowly detangling himself from her. Once he'd pried her from him, and laid her in the middle of the bed, he carefully took a pillow, and moved to lay on the floor. As he glanced up at the stars again, he couldn't help but smile a little at how he'd been able to calm her without waking her. Maybe….just maybe he wasn't such a bad friend after all.