Warping Around
Chapter 2 – 20 Questions
Silence reigned in Deaton's clinic, broken only by the clinking and shuffling of the tools and supplies he was putting away. Not counting Theo, it was just three of them left occupying the florescent-lit room - Lydia and Mason having urged Liam out of the room as soon as they'd finished patching Theo up. Visibly shaken, the beta had barely reacted – moving sluggishly with a dazed look on his face, until his friends completely blocked his view of the wounded chimera. Scott would have attended to him too, if he hadn't been so preoccupied with his own thoughts.
It felt like ages ago that they were discussing Monroe, her hunters, and their plan of action. Now he was leaning against a counter, blatantly staring at the other him in a manner many would call rude. Back curved and hands braced against the operating table, the doppelganger looked like he was holding back from curling around Theo. He looked somehow more wary than when he had first burst in, if that was possible. 'Probably worry setting in now that his adrenaline is dropping and Theo's injuries are really sinking in,' Scott winced at the thought as it shot through his head. This couldn't be real.
The ink on the other man's forearm only served to strengthen that feeling - crisp black lines intertwining with vibrant watercolor. A hint of a scar - one formed a long time ago – poked out from under a soft splash of purple trailing off at his elbow.
"Ok, so not a clone," Scott breathed under his nose and then startled at the snort that came from the other alpha. He ignored the clatter of a tool hitting the floor as he looked up to see Not Scott's amused expression.
"Right, werewolf. Enhanced senses," he nodded jerkily to himself.
"Yup."
Silence stretched once more – distinct in its awkwardness. Scott couldn't look his doppelganger in the eye. The more he looked the more he felt like he was staring at a mirror, except the reflection staring back at him was not actually him – more like a window then, 'But like, if my identical twin was on the other side and also somehow several years older. That would be a long gap between twins-' Scott didn't get to continue that brilliant train of thought as the other Scott, 'Not Scott', broke the quiet.
"So," Not Scott leaned forward slightly, "I'm sure you have questions."
The deceptively casual tone was unsettling, making Scott shift anxiously from one foot to the other.
"And you're going to answer them? Just like that?"
"We won't know unless you ask, kid. It'd be better than whatever's happening right now anyway."
"What are you," the question shoots out before the other him is even finished talking.
"A werewolf. Like you just said."
"Well yeah," he blinked, "But why are you identical to me?"
"But I'm not identical," Not Scott waved his tattooed arm with a mischievous grin that only widened when his younger counterpart's face went blank in bemusement.
"You know what I mean."
"I guess I do."
"You're not gonna answer, are you?"
"Not yet, no," came the almost apologetic answer. The slump to Scott's shoulders didn't seem to sit well with his doppelganger.
"Sorry kid. Ask something else."
"Alright," he spared a glance at Theo on the operation table. He was cut off before he could even open his mouth, though not unkindly.
"Some answers aren't really mine to give."
Scott sighed, realizing his more pressing questions would have to wait until Theo gained consciousness. He tried not to think of the possibility that Theo himself might not be willing to give answers. Because why would anything be easy?
"You keep calling me kid. How old exactly are you," he opted to go for instead, glancing warily at the broader shoulders, the sharper look in his eyes counteracted by the beginnings of crow's feet in their corners – signs of both rough pasts and moments of joy. The impression Not Scott gave was one of being calm and collected, despite the boy he clearly cared deeply about laying on an operating table in front of him. The man was visibly worried and obviously itching to touch, yet somehow Scott felt like he could lean on him for support right then and there and it would be granted. This guy was an adult. A well-adjusted one at that – the type that actually knew how to adult. Scott couldn't help but be reminded of his mom.
"Somewhere around thirty."
The odd pitch to his voice and sudden tilt of his head gave Scott pause.
"Maybe you're not that well-adjusted after all."
"Excuse me?"
"What? Oh, nothing. Just talking to myself," the younger alpha couldn't help but snicker mentally. The other didn't seem convinced.
"Sure kid."
"Still don't think you're old enough to be calling me kid though."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"…"
"Kid," Not Scott smirked. Actual Scott grunted. Even Deaton was left suppressing an amused grin of his own.
The ease that had just started to settle over them snapped like a twig when Theo twitched, a grimace overcoming his face before smoothing out in mere seconds. Scott watched his not-clone direct his undivided attention to the chimera and take his hand in a gentle hold.
It looked so incredibly natural, save for the fact Scott was watching his own face contract in far too doting concern. Watching his own hands brush the hair from a pale forehead, and simultaneously hearing sweet calming nothings uttered with his own voice - he hardly even acted like that with Malia, his official girlfriend, and here he was, seeing himself do it with Theo of all people. It was disturbing. Like an out-of-body experience, except it was an inside-of-body-staring-at-other-identical-body experience. He could feel the migraine setting in already.
Deaton had moved, without the werewolf even noticing, to inspect the now still chimera for any signs of what might have caused the discrepancy in his otherwise unconscious form.
"Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. Perhaps he's having a nightmare."
"Not surprising considering… everything."
Any doubt building in Scott's head was set in stone by his doppelganger's non-committal hum. Somehow Scott knew he wasn't going to like it when he was finally clued in on exactly what was going on.
„Regardless, I would have him rest for at least half an hour more before you move him."
"Move him," Scott's confusion attracted the attention of both men in the room. Deaton raised a brow at him.
"Did you expect me to shove him in a back room somewhere when my work hours roll around? I do work with actual clients here every once in a while, Scott. "
The alpha ducked his head, face heating a little in embarrassment.
"Right. Sorry."
"Where can we go? Preferably somewhere I won't seem suspicious for carrying a knocked-out teenager. But also somewhere without suspicious men carrying knocked-out teenagers for real."
"How about home?"
The need to elaborate became clear at Not Scott's puzzled expression.
"We can take him to one of our homes."
The doppelganger nodded slowly, seemingly deep in though.
"What about his home?"
"I-," Scott had to stop and rake his brain for that information. He hadn't realized he didn't know where Theo was living. He was the alpha, and Theo may not have been pack but he was pretty damn close. How could he not know where Theo was living? "I don't know where that is. But I guess we could talk with the others about space for you two."
"It's a start," Not Scott agreed, somewhat distractedly as Theo twitched again – lighter this time, calmer, like a puppy flicking its ear in its sleep. He fondly cupped Theo's cheek, thumb slowly tracing his cheekbone. Scott had to look away – it was far too intimate. Deaton must have felt much the same as he turned to him.
"Shall we go talk with your pack?"
"Uh, ye-yeah. Let's- let's do that."
And out they went into the waiting room, where they were greeted by an anxious Stiles, a frantic Malia and a zoned-out Lydia. Each one was unsettling enough on its own, but all three together – yes, that migraine was coming along nicely.
"Ok, what's happened?"
"What's happened," it was Stiles who answered first, beating Malia to the punch. Lydia showed no signs of hearing him, "What do you mean, 'What's happened'? Did you miss the part where your clone walked through the door with a dying Theo!?"
Somewhere in the back of his tired mind, Scott took offense to Stiles' imitation of him. But he had to set some things straight:
"He's not my clone-"
"What?"
"And Theo wasn't dying."
"Sure smelled like it to me," Malia scoffed, "Looked like it, too."
"That was just blood, Malia," Scott shuddered, "Lots and lots of blood."
"How does lots and lots of blood not mean someone is dying?"
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Scott inhaled slowly trying to keep his thinning patience in check. It had been a really long evening, trudging on to turn into an even longer night.
"That doesn't matter right now," Stiles squeezed in between them, "How do you know he's not a clone? Did he say that? Cause that's exactly what a clone would say!"
"No, Stiles. He has a scar on his arm."
"I thought werewolves healed too fast to scar?"
"They do," Deaton thankfully entered the conversation, patting Scott on the back in sympathy, "However, scar tissue is a natural part of the healing process – the result of it, in fact. A scar is a wound already healed. If it forms before someone is bitten, there's nothing to be healed afterwards."
"So the scar stays?"
Deaton nodded to Malia's question.
"Huh," Stiles prattled about something related, but Scott payed him no attention, instead watching Lydia, who was staring into space with an almost intrigued look on her face.
"Hey," he stepped toward her, "Lydia? Are you alright?"
Settling a hand on her shoulder succeeded in bringing her back to reality. She focused on him after a slight shake of her head.
"Everything's great," voice pitched up, heartbeat spiking, eyes opened wide - she wasn't even trying to tell a convincing lie.
"No one believes that," Malia deadpanned.
"It's just- there's-," she shot a hesitant glance to the door Scott and Deaton had just come through, and continued slowly, "I have a weird feeling."
"Like someone's about to die?"
"Oh my god, Malia, will you stop it with the dying already," Stiles blurted. At the very least, he had enough of a functioning brain cell left to shrink back from the snarl Malia sent his way. Lydia simply rolled her eyes and continued as if he hadn't spoken.
"No. I can't explain it. I haven't... felt anything like this before."
"Ooh, I don't like the sound of that."
"Is it something we need to worry about now," Scott queried, praying it wouldn't be something they had to jump on immediately. There were only so many problems he could juggle, and he wasn't even good at juggling!
Lydia, thankfully, shook her beautiful head and the alpha could have kissed her for it.
"I don't think it's anything bad. Just… new," she paused, gaze shifting to the door once more, "Speaking of new, what did we miss?"
Even though he had been expecting it, the question still managed to catch Scott off guard.
"Not much really. I asked some questions, didn't get a single straight answer, except that he is older than us. I'm pretty sure he won't answer any pressing questions properly until Theo's awake."
"I smell something fishy," Stiles added.
"Tell me about it," Scott sighed, "But there's not much we can do about that now. What we can do, is go home, and take them along. Let things settle a little, wrap our heads around what's happening. Hopefully we can get more information out of them."
"Hold on. Take them along?"
"They cannot stay in my clinic," Deaton provided, "And with what's transpired today, on top of Monroe's hunters becoming more and more active, I do not think it wise for them to be running around on their own."
Malia and Stiles immediately protested, then proceeded to talk over each other, providing all the excuses they had to not take in the doppelganger alpha and the chimera.
"I'll take Theo home with me," Liam piped up from where he sat with Corey and Mason. They'd helped him calm down, to put himself together, but he was still a little out of it, as evidenced by his glowing eyes. The couple shared a knowing look that Liam missed.
"Sorry, Liam. I don't think the other me will agree to separate from Theo."
"Then I can take them both," the beta pinned him with wide hopeful eyes.
"No," it was surprisingly Lydia who shut him down, "You'd have to explain to your parents not only what happened with Theo, but also why and how a second Scott materialized out of nowhere. All questions to which we have no answers."
"That's the case for all of us," Liam glared defensively, his hackles rising already, held back by Corey's hand on his arm.
"The Sherriff and Scott's mom are used to us dealing with crazy things and unknowns. They'd also trust us to know what we're doing, at least until things start going really wrong."
Liam's gaze dropped to the floor but his posture didn't relax. He knew there was sense to her words, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
"Since we can't take Theo to a hospital because of the hunter attacks, mom can make sure Theo heals right," Scott added.
"What about Alec? You think he'll be fine with it? Do you even have enough room for them both?"
"I'm sure we can figure something out."
"That settles it then."
In the operating room, Scott had his lips pressed to Theo's forehead, trying to convey what he was feeling through it – love, worry, need. Gripping his hand tightly, Scott rejoiced at every minor movement of Theo's fingers. The boy had continued to twitch even after the younger alpha and Deaton had left the room, though his distress had lessened drastically.
Scott was certain there was some sort of struggle going on in that adorable head, but aside from comforting touches and words, he had no clue how to help. Straightening up, the alpha ran his fingers through unruly hair.
"Come on love," he whispered weakly, feeling the knot in his chest tightening – it had been a long time since he'd last seen Theo in this fragile a state, "I really need you to wake up."
His lover remained still and unmoving, though Scott felt a familiar pull, which warmed his aching heart. He ran a careful thumb over Theo's bruised knuckles with a small sad smile on his face.
"Thanks for the reassurance," he grumbled, "But as much as I love it, you need to preserve your energy right now," he waited for the sensation to come again, because of course it would. Theo never did listen to him when it came to his own wellbeing. And come it did – fainter and barely there, letting him know he would have it his way.
"Rest up, sweetheart," he murmured quietly, squeezing Theo's hand, "I'll be there when you wake up."
He managed to plant a sweet peck on Theo's mouth and pull away before the door opened. Calm, collected and in control once more, he turned to his other self.
"You okay with staying in my house for the time being?"
"Not at all," he answered as he scooped Theo up in his arms again, "Lead the way, kid."