A/N: I started writing this before season 5 (although it is a little influenced by season 5 previews), so it is not canon compliant at all for season 5. And I think some of the parts with the Desert Wolf and Braeden are not even season 4 compliant. I am also not sure when Derek's dad really died, which I think I mentioned at one point. So like, sorry about that, I guess. Those parts are AU, LOL.
Pizza with Derek felt a little weird, mostly because Stiles had stupidly confessed out loud to being kind of into Derek so he felt like his friends were going to be gossiping about it and thinking it was a date, which it wasn't. But Scott had pretty much already known how he felt, somehow. He must have said something that made that fact obvious that Scott overheard when he was talking to Derek on the phone, or maybe he'd seen it on Stiles' face.
Or god forbid Scott had smelled something. Ew.
When Scott was paying attention, it was hard to get anything by him. He just tended to not pay much attention to Stiles, which was probably just a case of familiarity breeding contempt or inattention or whatever.
Either way, Derek and Stiles had been eating meals together and living in the same motel room for more than a month, so getting pizza and watching TV should have felt pretty comfortable, but because of Stiles' stupid crush and his inability to hide it, he felt way more awkward than usual.
"You okay?" Derek asked before Stiles left.
"Yeah, hey, I know I said we should get together with the others this weekend, but how far away is this alpha? I feel like it wouldn't be fair to get together with Lydia still at Eichen House."
"Lydia. Right. That alpha is up in Bend, Oregon. It's like eight hours away by car. Your dad wouldn't let you go."
"I guess I can't just pretend to be at a sleepover. What about a flight? Would your guy do a video conference or just talk to us on the phone?"
"When I say old, I mean, really, really old. Like he remembers the civil war old. He wouldn't do a video conference, and there are…protocols for asking for a favor from another wolf pack so the phone wouldn't work. We could probably get a flight," Derek said. "But we'd have to stay overnight to get a return flight the next day, so your dad would probably freak."
"I don't know. He's sort of started to realize I'm pretty much an adult now, whatever it says on my birth certificate. If I tell him I have to do it to save Lydia, he'll probably be fine with it. Maybe he'll come with us," Stiles said.
Derek looked thoughtful for a moment. "I can do this on my own, Stiles. Actually it might be better if I do. They don't take too well to outsiders. You finish up your school week, and maybe I'll find a solution to Lydia's problem. I mean, maybe we'll have to go someplace else to find a specialist, or maybe he doesn't know anyway to help her. So you just let me handle it for now, okay?"
"We can trust this guy, though, right? He won't send someone to kidnap Lydia and keep her as his pet or anything, will he?"
"He's not like that. And if it makes you feel any better, I won't say she's in Beacon Hills. I just got back to town so I can say she's someone I met on the road."
Stiles looked at Derek. He nodded. "I trust your judgment, Der, whatever you think is best," Stiles said.
"Well, my instinct is to trust the guy, but it's not really my secret so I'll error on the side of caution. I'll let you know what's happening. And maybe you should write down what's wrong with Lydia so I'll know what to ask."
"I'd feel better if I was coming with you," Stiles said.
"Well, this way we don't have to wait until the weekend," Derek said.
So Stiles took a few minutes and wrote down Lydia's symptoms, and then left, thanking Derek again for going to find the alpha and fixing his Jeep.
By Thursday Derek was back home, so Stiles got Chinese delivered and invited Derek to dinner with him and his dad.
When they were all sitting down, Stiles turned to Derek. "So, what did they say?"
"I talked to a Shaman who the Alpha introduced me to. She said that Lydia's power was all over the place and she needed to learn to focus her powers. You weren't far off with the idea that she should mediate. Apparently onyx and lapis lazuli are good at focusing. She's supposed to be able to learn to channel all of her visions through the stones, which will make them quieter, and then she can focus when she wants to on trying to decide which the strongest and most dire warning is."
"That's awesome. Thanks so much for doing that!" Stiles said. "I've been worried about Lydia."
Derek nodded. "Will they let you visit her in Eichen House?"
"She put me on the list, so unless something's going on with her, I should be able to get in. So, now that that's taken care of, what else is on the books?"
"Thought I might look into joining the Sheriff's office. If there's any openings," Derek said.
"Oh there's always openings," Stiles' dad said. "I like the idea of having a supernatural deputy. I mean, not like Parrish. I'm not sure what the deal with Parrish is and I'm really starting to think he's more trouble than he's worth. I know you'll be a real asset, Derek."
"Well, I'm glad we could get past our differences," Derek said.
"Derek, you know you're welcome here anytime, don't you? Stiles doesn't usually let me have greasy Chinese food, but a home-cooked meal has its own charm, doesn't it?"
"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Derek said.
After Derek had gone, Stiles asked his dad, "Why did you say all that about Derek always being welcome here?"
His dad shrugged. "I don't know. I think that kid is really lonely. I feel bad for him sometimes. I know he's good looking and he's got money and fancy cars, but when it comes down to it, I bet he'd rather have his family back than any of that stuff. I'm glad you started looking out for him, even if I wish you'd gone about it a different way."
Stiles thought about that. He'd always thought that Derek was trying to use Scott or corrupt him or turn people like Erica and Boyd into monsters for his own selfish reasons, but what if he'd been motivated, at least partially, by making himself a new family the whole time? He wasn't used to feeling sorry for Derek, although he'd always know the man deserved his sympathy, but that thought kind of made his heart ache. He knew what it was like to wonder what would happen if he lost everyone who cared about him; if he was suddenly alone. Derek already knew how it felt.
So Stiles decided that his new mission would be to try to make Derek a real part of Scott's pack—or maybe to help Derek fit in with his fellow deputies. He just wanted Derek to be part of a family again, and if all else failed, then he could just do what his dad said and try to make Derek a part of his family.
The next day Stiles headed down town at lunch and found a craftsman who would make a necklace with semiprecious stones to Stiles' preference. He had it strung with lapis lazuli beads and then, in the centre there was a tear-drop-shaped onyx pendant. He arranged to pick it up the following morning and called ahead to make sure he could get into see Lydia Saturday afternoon.
That Saturday, he found himself walking up the creepy-ass steps to Eichen House, and asked to see Lydia Martin. He was taken to her room and locked in, which brought back all kinds of unpleasant memories.
"Stiles," Lydia said. She looked up. She wasn't wearing fancy clothes or makeup, and although she still looked beautiful, it was disconcerting to see her not as put together as usual. Also unexpected was the fact that rather than jumping up and hugging him, because she hadn't seen him in a couple of months, she spoke to him just as though they'd talked a day ago or even an hour ago. "I know I told you you were going to die, but now I know. I've seen it so many times. The Desert Wolf almost had you, but this time it's going to be a car accident."
"Lyd, I've got something to help you with your predictions. Will you try it out for me?" Stiles asked.
"Okay, yeah," she said. "Why not?"
Stiles took out the necklace and put it around Lydia's neck. It looked good on her, despite the fact that she was wearing a grey sweat suit. "Okay, now, try to focus all of our Banshee energy and stuff through the necklace."
She looked at him oddly for a moment, and then held the onyx and closed her eyes. She opened them. "What the hell, Stiles?"
"I have no magic whatsoever and I can make mountain ash into a powerful weapon against the supernatural. Objects in the world have special properties. Look at the nemeton. I promise you, this will work," Stiles said. He was remembering what Deacon had said about belief being essential to making this stuff work, so he wasn't going to let her have any doubts.
"If you say so," she said. The tartness in her voice reminded him of the old Lydia, and he actually allowed himself a moment's hope that this could work.
She closed her eyes and held the necklace. She opened her eyes after a few minutes, a look of surprise evident. "They seem stronger. I wish there was a way to make them weaker."
"I think there is, Lydia. Just, imagine the onyx is a box, and you're going to direct all of your visions inside of it. Asleep, awake, all your visions go inside. It's a closed circuit, and you only open that box when you want to. If you want to see any warnings, then you open the box."
"How do I open it?"
"It's up to you. Maybe you hold onto the onyx when you want access to the visions. Maybe you have to light a candle. My feeling is that rituals are like, like they started out as ways to train your brain to behave a certain way. So you decide what you want your brain to do and how you're going to cue it to do that thing."
Lydia tilted her head. "That makes a lot of sense," she said.
"I know it'll help," he said.
"Stay with me and help me learn," she said.
By the end of the visit, Stiles actually thought it was starting to work. By Monday morning, Lydia had been able to sleep through the night and could separate her visions from reality. By the end of the week, she was more proficient than she'd ever been with her powers, and was being discharged from Eichen house.
She came to school on Friday morning, looking fresh and beautiful in a frothy dress and heels that were impractically high. She threw herself into Stiles' arms the second she saw him and held him tight.
"Stiles, you are my hero. I kind of wish you'd saved me before I flunked bio, but at least I can still take it next semester. Lucky I'm so amazing that I practically graduated a year early. And I love my new necklace."
"It was sort of Derek. I mean, it was Derek and I together. And I was thinking, you know, he's helped us a lot over the years, and we're hardly even there for him when he has a problem. And I mean he doesn't have a problem right now, but I think he'd like to hang with us. I know that sounds weird, but I think it would be good for him. Like, we could do a welcome home party but for you and him. Because we missed both of you," Stiles said.
"I'm on it," Lydia said. "How does Saturday sound?"
"Lydia, you just got out of a mental hospital. And the party is supposed to be partially for you. You should let someone else plan it," Stiles said.
"Like who, Liam? Scott? You? I wouldn't even trust Kira. No, it has to be me. Don't worry. It won't be anything big. Just for us. You know."
"Yeah, I know," Stiles said. "Thanks."
"Hey, you found a way to help me. You and Derek. And worrying about something normal like planning a party is good for me."