Stiles follows behind Isaac and his aunt for a bit, congratulating Isaac on winning the case, but it's clear that what Isaac really needs to do is go home and sleep. He looks wrecked, and Stiles understands that. He promises to be in touch soon before going to his own Jeep.

It takes 5 minutes of sitting behind the steering wheel before he can go anywhere at all. He knew before that Isaac's father abused him, but he didn't know the extent, the details. He does now. He knows every last, fucked up little detail. It makes him feel sick and he's honestly not sure how Isaac is functioning at all.

Once he has his faculties, Stiles drives right to the Sheriff's station. He blows past the front desk, as he has so many times before, and right into his father's office.

"Stiles, how-"

But before the Sheriff gets a chance to ask anything about the court case, Stiles launches himself at his father, hugging him tightly.

"Stiles, Stiles…" John pats his son on the back. "What's going on, are you okay?"

"Yeah, dad, yeah, I'm fine." Stiles nods, pulling back, looking at his father. "It's just...thank you, you know? For...for raising me right."

"What?" John looks at Stiles, confused.

"What happened with Isaac, his dad, the way that he treated him, a lot of it started after his mom and brother died, and it was just them, and his dad…" Stiles trailed off, shaking his head. "But you didn't. You took care of me, you still do, and I took that for granted for so long. I took you for granted, I took you not hurting me for granted, you being a good dad, because that's...that's just all I knew, but it's not like that for everybody, and I'm...a little shit so much of the time."

"Stiles," John looks taken aback. "Are you thanking me for not hitting you?"

"No, I mean...I don't know, maybe, but dad," Stiles looks at him. "I always sort of felt that I was getting a raw deal, you know, after mom died, because almost everyone else had two parents, but I have a father who loves me, and I just looked right past you all that time, and I was angry, and panicky, and you just dealt with it, even though you, god, definitely had your own pain to deal with, and Isaac's father, he took that pain out on Isaac, and I just…" Stiles trails off.

"Stiles," John puts his hands on Stiles' shoulders, looking right into the boy's eyes. "There is nothing, not a single thing, that you could do that would cause me to hit you. Ever. Is that clear?"

"No, dad, I know." Stiles takes a shaky breath. "I guess all I'm trying to say is that I love you, and I don't say that enough. I know I don't."

"It's okay, Stiles. I love you too, alright?"

"I know." Stiles nods. "And the fact that I know that...dad, Isaac didn't do anything to stop the beating because he hoped so hard that if he was good long enough, his father would start loving him again. All of this, because he wanted to be loved by his father, something that I take for granted every day of my life, and I just want you to know that's not how it's gonna be, okay? Not anymore."

"This is really effecting you, isn't it."

"Of course it is!" Stiles nods emphatically. "Dad, he's a good guy - Isaac is a good guy, and all of this shit happened to him because he just wanted someone to love him."

"Life really isn't fair." The Sheriff nods. "But how did it go?"

"Maximum sentence, the judge wasn't having any of Mr. Lahey's shit," Stiles explains quickly. "But Isaac...he might need a few days before he can do much of anything. He stood up for himself, though." Stiles smiles gently. "It was actually really amazing."

"I'm glad that bastard is getting what he deserves. "The Sheriff nods. "What about you? Are you okay? You seem...shaken up. Do you want me to take the rest of the day off?"

"No, no, I'm fine. I'm…" Stiles shifts awkwardly. "It was just a lot. I didn't know how bad it was, you know? I never heard his testimony."

"I know, it's gruesome, what happened to him. When he first went over things with me, some part of me thought it couldn't all possibly be true, but there's just something about Isaac, the way he is. I don't think that kid could lie if his life depended on it."

"Like I said." Stiles nods. "He's a good guy."

"He is."

"Now that this is over, do you...do you think that he'll start getting better?" Stiles asks. "That he'll start, you know, really starting to heal?"

"I hope so." John sits down, looking up at Stiles. "Because honestly, I'm worried about what's going to happen to you if he doesn't."

"What?" Stiles sinks into the chair across from his father's desk. "What...what do you mean?"

"Look at how much you've invested in this, Stiles," John says. "You went to the court case. You spend as much time with the kid as you can...if he doesn't improve, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know," Stiles admitted softly. "I guess...I guess I hadn't really thought of that as an option."

"You want to see him better so badly, Stiles, but it's not your job to fix him, and that doesn't mean I don't think that you shouldn't try to help, I just want you to make sure that you don't put everything you've got into someone who might not be able to get better."

"Do...do you really think that he won't?" Stiles asks, his voice shaky with the possibility that Isaac might actually be depressed, anxious, so damaged for the rest of his life.

"I know that he's been through a lot more than anyone should ever have to, and that that can have a serious impact on someone. I know that it will be with him for the rest of his life, no matter what, but I also know that that doesn't mean that he won't necessarily get better."

"But you think that he will."

"I hope he will." The Sheriff nods, and Stiles thinks that's the best that he's going to get out of his father right now. He knows that his dad is right - that Isaac has been traumatized beyond any point Stiles could have imagined. He had no idea how bad the abuse had been, and now that he does, well, he's not sure what to do with it.

"Why do you think I should do, dad?" Stiles asks.

"Be there for him."

"Okay." Stiles nods. "I can do that."

"I know you can." John smiles at his son. "You're a great friend, Stiles."

"I'm trying to be."

"And I promise you that he sees what I see. He sees what you're doing for him, and it's changing his life."

John smiles, looking at his son, clearly proud of the boy.

"What?" Stiles asks.

"Your mother," he states. "She would be very, very proud of you right now. I know I am."

"I…" Stiles gulps. His mother doesn't come up often, they don't talk about her very much, because it's not easy for Stiles, but it's even harder for his father. "Thank you."

John just nods, and Stiles can tell that his dad is choked up, and Stiles isn't too far from that himself.

"I should…" Stiles gestures towards the door. "I just wanted…" he trails off, not really sure what else to say. He's exhausted. He spent the morning looking after Isaac, and now he's unable to stop thinking about everything that was said at the trial, all of the pain that Isaac went through, everything, and he wants to help him, he wants to keep him safe, but he's not sure what more he can do.

"Get some rest, kid." John says. "I'll see you for dinner."

"Okay. Bye dad. I love you," he offers again, because for some reason, it feels very necessary.

"Love you too, son."

Stiles exits the Sheriff's station and goes home, curling up on his bed, hugging a pillow to his chest, trying to figure out what his next step was going to be. He is worried that Isaac wasn't going to get better, he is worried that he is going to try, and not be able to make any difference at all. It upsets him that Isaac had been through so much, and he was still dealing with it every day, it isn't fair, but things rarely are. It wasn't fair that he'd lost his mother, or that Isaac had lost everything, but he can't change those facts.

What he can do is help. He can be there for Isaac, no matter what. That's the best that he has to offer.

He just hopes, as he closes his eyes, drifting off into a fitful sleep, that it will be enough.

A/N Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to update, I have a friend visiting me from out of town! Anyways, I know that this story largely focuses on Isaac, and I wanted to show a little of how Isaac's story, and his life, is really impacting Stiles, because he's strong when he's around Isaac, but there's also some vulnerability there, and I thought dealing with his own relationship with his father would be a good way to do that! I hope this chapter worked for you, and I know a lot of you wanted to see Isaac making other connections outside of Stiles, so don't worry, that's coming in the next chapter! Thanks so much for reading, guys!