John looks at his son warily. He had been silent since they left the school and though they had tried to get the blood off his face there were still traces of pink smeared across his cheekbones. He knew Stiles wouldn't forget tonight easily and he felt tired just thinking of the sleepless nights full of nightmares to come.

The Sheriff had his arm around his kid as he led the three teenagers to the cruiser, Lydia holding Stiles' hand and Scott waking beside her. He felt like he was leading a trail of ducklings. Stiles was staring in front of him as they walked but didn't seem to be seeing anything. John could see the thoughts whirling around behind his sons eyes and didn't like the darkness and fear in them.

They made it to the car and Scott held the door open for Lydia to get in before climbing in himself. Lydia had told her mother she needed to stay with Stiles and John had promised to get her home safe before dark. Before Stiles could get in the car John pulled him a little ways away and leant down so he could look in his eyes.

"You sure you're okay? Something bad happened in there I can tell and we're gonna talk about it but until then….. is there anything you need?"

Stiles looked at his father and felt tears come to his eyes. His lip wobbled and he trapped it between his teeth.

"You'd be okay if I died right? You'd be able to keep going? You'd have Melissa and Scott and the deputies and-"

John stopped his son's rambling with a hug and his boy hugged him back fiercely, arms gripping tight with his face pressed against him.

"I wouldn't be okay at all if you died Stiles. It would break my heart and I don't think I could survive losing you. But I'd carry on, I'd have to. Just make sure I don't have to okay? You stay safe. As much as you can."

Stiles made a noise between a sob and a laugh and John held his tighter.

"In this town I don't know how that's possible. But I'll try."

"Good. That's all I ask."

The Sheriff kissed his sons hair before they parted and they got Stiles into the car beside Lydia and Scott.

John concentrated on the road ahead of him but could hear Scott talking to his mother on the phone in the backseat.

"Yeah mom we're all fine now I promise. We got the mushrooms…Yeah tell Derek I said thank you…..Yeah I'm with the Sheriff and Stiles and Lydia now."

John could see Scott glance over at Stiles but the teenager was staring out the window, hand still in Lydia's grasp.

"We just wanted to get Stiles checked out before he goes home. Lydia said she felt him die and when we found him he had blood splattered all over his face….. No it wasn't his and he said he was fine but he had the sickness too and The Sheriff just wants to check. I do too he's kind of acting weird….. Thanks Mum you're the best, see you soon… I love you too."

They parked outside of the McCall house ten minutes later and John got out to open the kids' doors to see a very confused Stiles.

"What are we doing at Scott's place?"

John tugged his kid out of the car and waited till Lydia had gotten out too before closing the door.

"Melissa's just gonna check you over to make sure everything's okay."

Stiles immediately started backing away from his dad, pulling his arm out of his hold, and shaking his head.

"No Dad I'm fine, I just wanna go home and sleep."

"Stiles this isn't up for discussion, you were infected with the sickness and had whatever else happen to you. Just let her check you over and you can sleep."

Lydia took Stiles hand and started pulling him towards the open door of the house where Melissa and Scott were hugging. That seemed to be all the further encouragement he needed because Stiles began reluctantly following her, groaning like he was only going because Lydia was making him.

John followed them, smiling at how the two acted together. Melissa let go of her son to grip her other son in a hug and kissing his cheek before hugging Lydia as well. She ushered them all inside and ordered the kids to sit on the couch while she brought them tea.

John at and watched the three teenagers sit. Scott was looking sick still but mostly worried and kept glancing at Stiles while Lydia looked jumpy and Stiles looked exhausted.

Melissa came back with hot tea for the three kids and a blanket or two even as Scott protested.

"Scott you look terrible and you almost died. You are going to bed straight after this."

Scott took his tea and nodded as the woman moved on to Stiles.

"Scott told me you were infected and then something else happened. He said there was a gunshot."

The nurse was being gentle but Stiles still looked uncomfortable at the mention of the gunshot. Everyone turned to Stiles as they waited to hear what happened.

"I… the teacher that was there at the start of the test…..he wasn't a teacher. He called himself The Chemist. He put the infection in the ink pad to kill the wolves. He's…..he was an assassin."

John didn't miss the 'was'. He inched forward on his seat and saw Lydia grip her mug tighter as she whispered.

"He died. I thought it was you Stiles..It was almost you but he died instead."

Stiles nodded and looked like he was about to throw up but didn't say anything. Scott spoke up from his end of the couch.

"Please just tell us what happened."

Stiles' hands shook and John watched as the kid squeezed them into fists.

"He wanted to know where you guys were. He needed visual confirmation and he knew I had found out it was him who'd done it. He…he had a gun. He said if I didn't tell him where you guys were…..he had it pressed against my forehead." His voice shook and Melissa had her hands over her mouth in shock. Stiles now turned to Scott, teary eyed.

"You know I'd never give you guys up so I said no."

Scott looked horrified. "An assassin had a gun to your head and you said no? Why didn't you just tell him? We could have fought him off!"

Stiles shook his head desperately.

"You were dying! You were blind Scott, I wouldn't have told him, he would have killed you!"

He shook his head again and his voice was quiet once again.

"He gave me three seconds to tell him and he started counting….So I closed my eyes and waited."

Lydia almost dropped her tea and Melissa shot a hand out to The Sheriffs arm as his jaw dropped in shock.

"Oh God Stiles." Scott had tears down his cheeks as did Lydia and Melissa. John was stunned. On the one hand he could not be more proud of his son, so brave and loyal and unfailing as a friend. But on the other hand he could not believe that Stiles had been ready to die for his friends. His son had almost been killed today, and he hadn't been there to protect him. He'd almost lost him.

"Stiles." Lydia's voice came out as a whine and she put her tea down to lean against Stiles' arm, her head pressed to his shoulder. Stiles held her hand as he continued.

"I waited and he got to one.. I could hardly breathe and I heard the click when he went to pull the trigger. And then there was a bang, a gunshot, and his blood splattered all over my face. It got in my mouth. Agent McCall shot him in the head."

Melissa's mouth flew open to match The Sheriffs.

"Raf?"

"My dad? He killed him?"

Stiles nodded.

"He saved my life. Then he told me about the mushrooms to save you guys."

Scott looked confused, like the idea of his father doing anything helpful or heroic was alien. Which it kind of was.

"I can't believe…..As long as you're okay now…. You saved our lives Stiles. Thank you."

Stiles looked at his best friend and nodded. Melissa wiping her cheeks before setting to work.

"Well let's get you checked out then shall we?"

Melissa knelt in front of Stiles and thoroughly checked him over, monitoring his heart-rate, blood pressure, pupil reaction and temperature. She looked for anymore symptoms of the sickness but only found a slight fever.

She checked Scott over as well even though he looked better already. The Sheriff just watched his son, the pink streaks of another man's blood on his cheeks and the look that some of his deputies had on a particular hard case, and wished he could have his baby boy back again.

When Stiles was a kid he had so much energy he was like a sun, he would affect others too with his light, it was contagious. He was so smart and eager, he had always been a little cheeky and gotten himself into any trouble he could find but he was a good kid. Still is. But now his light was dimmed. He was always worrying about things, constantly alert to danger and any potential threats. Stiles was willing to die for his friends today, and he almost did. John just wished his child didn't have to hold the world on his shoulders like it was his to bear alone.

Melissa deemed everything okay and sent John a look which he nodded to. After what they just heard it was a good idea to let them all sleep together tonight. Stiles looked too tired to go home anyway and Lydia was holding onto him so tight she didn't look like she was ever going to let go.

John kissed his son on the forehead and pulled the kids together for a big group hug with Melissa on the other side to get them all in.

"You kids go through hell every day and I love you all so much." Melissa added a "Me too." Before they were released. Melissa gave each of them a kiss on the forehead, because she couldn't help it, before sending them up to bed. Lydia said she'd call her mother and tell her the plane for the night.

Once the kids disappeared upstairs John turned to the nurse.

"Is he really okay? He was so out of it on the way here and when I found him at the school he was practically unconscious."

Melissa nodded and sat heavily on the couch, pulling the blanket onto her lap.

"Yeah he'll be okay. He has a slight fever but that's from the virus and should be gone by morning. He's just tired, and after what he told us I can understand why. You have an amazing boy there John."

The Sheriff smiled and sat on the couch beside her, accepting his half of the blanket when she shared it.

"I was just about to say the same thing." Melissa returned his smile and they looked at each other like that for a few seconds before she took his hand in hers, weaving their fingers together. She leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed.

"What are we going to do with these kids?"

John settled against her warmth easily and squeezed her hand.

"I don't know about you but I think they deserve pizza for dinner or maybe bacon for breakfast."

The nurse agreed, humming against his shoulder as she closed her eyes.

"Good idea. Of course you'll have wheat toast and whatever the healthy option for pizza is."

John laughed, groaning.

"Aww Melissa he's got you in on it too? That damn kid."