It had been three weeks since Stiles had undone his first curse. Since then a few more had turned up in Beacon Hills as well. There was one particular curse that had been difficult for Stiles for a number of reasons. The curse had arrived two weeks ago and this time it wasn't aimed at Scott but Stiles himself. It had removed his voice and sight leaving him feeling exceptionally vulnerable. Immediately his hand had flown to the mobile phone in his pocket and he had blindly managed to speed dial the one person he knew he could count on.
The moment Derek picked up the phone Stiles made as much noise as he could by slamming stuff down on his desk. He just hoped that the werewolf would register enough to understand that something was wrong. It had been a difficult one for Stiles to combat because he couldn't read since he was blind so he depended on the alpha to read aloud for him so he could work out how to undo it. Also he couldn't speak so communicating what he needed took some work. In the end Stiles just wrote down everything he wanted to say and showed it to the man. Eventually though after working together for a whole day Stiles had managed to undo the curse.
When everything was said and done though Derek asked him why? That singular word was all he uttered yet Stiles somehow knew exactly what he was trying to ask. Why had he called Derek straight away and not his best friend? Stiles meticulously explained it to him. Saying it was kinda how Scott said to Derek before, 'You maybe an alpha but you're not mine'. He muttered quietly something about how he considered Derek his alpha while Scott would always remain just his lovable but goofy best friend. To Stiles Derek represented support and reliability. He was someone Stiles felt he could turn to no matter what the problem. Stiles felt safe and secure when he was with the alpha. Admitting all of this to Derek had been amazingly difficult and Stiles had found himself blushing. Yet he was surprised when he finally looked up to find Derek blushing just as much.
Over the next few days Stiles had seen a change in Derek. Stiles' praise had knocked down some of the walls the alpha had around his heart and he was acting warmer, in a more caring manner than ever before with Stiles. Friendly embraces like the rest of the pack had was the first sign but that had been swiftly eclipsed by the night that Derek cuddled up with Stiles on the younger man's bed, both falling fast asleep in the comforting arms of the other.
It had been an interesting three weeks and Stiles for the first time in a long time felt like everything would be okay. Everything seemed to be coming together in his life. Of course he scolded himself the moment he consciously thought that because he sensed that even thinking it was bound to in fact destroy it.
"Dude", Scott moaned when he opened the door to his best friend Saturday morning. "It's like nine am and Deaton finally gave me a weekend off. What are you doing here so early?"
"Scott you promised me a twelve hour marathon of video games. Now I know from past experience that every two hours or so you will excuse yourself to relieve your bladder which takes you on average two minutes. Every hour and a half you will want to pause for five or so minutes to stretch and you will be moaning every three or so hours that you need a break so you have a snack and get something to drink. You will also start moaning at around ten pm when you've had enough and want me to leave you alone. But if we factor in all the breaks you want for various reasons we are looking at finishing gone midnight. Now man, you made a promise and you are going to stick to it aren't you?" Stiles babbled to the still bleary eyed, sleepy Scott.
"Whatever. I didn't follow half of that and the half I did follow was just creepy. Get your butt in the door before I change my mind", Scott yawned as he stood aside to let his best friend in.
"Scott man, you're killing me literally", Stiles groaned as he watched his game character die again while Scott's character had become stationary. Scott had stopped to yawn and stretch leaving Stiles to beat up the two computer players. At this level it really wasn't an option to try and solo the missions.
"Sorry man but we have been playing for five hours straight. Sure I had that energy drink and coffee so the caffeine would wake me up quickly and we could start playing straight away like you insisted but now I need a break", Scott moaned. "Give me five minutes and –" Scott stopped what he was saying as his phone rang. "Oh it's my mom", Scott told him as he looked at the caller ID. Stiles paused the game as this was one of the legitimate reasons both had agreed upon many years ago. A parental phone call took priority. "Hey mom", Scott answered the phone before he began to scowl. "Hold up he is right here with me. Sure I will pass you over."
Scott handed his phone to Stiles who gave him a scrunched up quizzical expression. Stiles, it's Melissa.
"Hey Ms. McCall", Stiles answered in a confused expression at her tone which sounded pained and anxious.
Look Stiles I need you and Scott to come down to the hospital as soon as possible.
"Okay. Is everything alright?" Stiles asked feeling uneasy now himself.
Just get down to the hospital Stiles and hurry. Pass me back to Scott please. Stiles handed the phone back to Scott who took it and listened before his face paled and Stiles read pain and worry cross his face.
"Yeah mom. We're leaving right now", Scott said as he put the phone down. He grabbed his sneakers and began to pull them on his feet. "Stiles man, hurry up we got to go."
"What's wrong did your mom tell you anything?" Stiles asked.
"No, she wouldn't tell me anything just that we needed to get to the hospital", Scott said worried.
"Well what are we waiting for?" Stiles replied as he jumped up switching the power off to the television and the games console. He was down the stairs and in the jeep starting the engine before Scott even got to the front door. Frustrated at his lack of knowledge regarding the situation at the hospital had Stiles pushing his horn as he yelled for Scott to hurry up.
Stiles pulled into the hospital parking lot and both boys jumped out heading for the entrance as fast as they could. The ride over had been filled with an uncomfortable silence after they had both started yelling at each other when their irritation boiled over. Scott was slightly ahead of Stiles being the faster of the two of them. Scott looked around for his mom knowing she would be nearby waiting to greet them somewhere by the entrance like she always was in these situations. "Mom!" he called out as he spotted her. Stiles followed him over to the clearly distressed and emotional woman.
"What happened?" Scott asked quickly.
"Who is it Ms. McCall?" Stiles said unknowingly asking the right question.
Melissa McCall took a steady breath as she summoned the strength she needed to tell Stiles what she knew he would accept best from her. "Stiles, I'm sorry. It's your father. He's – he's dead", she said her voice breaking at the end.
"No. No it can't be", Stiles refused to believe those words. His dad couldn't be dead. That would make him an orphan. He was barely a year older than Derek was when Derek's family burnt. "He's not dead. Don't tell me he's dead", Stiles moaned as he leaned against Scott who had put his arm on his best friend's shoulders as soon as he heard the news.
"I'm sorry Stiles but it's true. I meet the ambulance upon arrival", Melissa told him in a voice that wobbled with emotion.
"What happened?" Scott asked knowing that despite his state Stiles needed to hear the details.
"I don't know everything. There was some sort of accident when he was chasing a suspect on foot. They were in the industrial sector when it happened. The cable on some scaffolding supplies snapped and John was underneath them at the time. His body was pierced by metal tubes in several places. When they got to him he was assumed DOS. It was confirmed on arrival here", Melissa answered quietly.
"Are they sure it was an accident?" Stiles asked his voice shaking but strong. Maybe it wasn't an accident. Maybe his dad had been targeted as a vulnerable member of the pack's weakest link. With all they had put up with recently he didn't think it was too much to assume. Or maybe this was just an instance of his own hyper vigilance. As he felt his anger grow he felt his magic straining against his control. It was trying to break free; to act on his subconscious desires. He realised a small portion of it must have escaped his restraint when he became aware of tremors in the air around him.
"They aren't sure of much at the moment. There'll be an investigation to be sure", Melissa assured him while she stroked his cheek comfortingly in a motherly way. It was an answer he expected but it still somehow calmed him slightly.
"Melissa", Stiles breathed as tears began to form in his eyes as he began to accept the truth despite his resolve to ignore the facts. Melissa froze as Stiles called her by her first name. She knew her son's best friend well enough to know when he called her by her first name it was something vitally important. Something she wouldn't be able to lie to him about. "Was it – did he – die quickly? Was he in a lot of pain?"
Melissa took another deep breath as she answered truthfully all the while hating herself for the pain she was about to inflict, "The metal punctured multiple vital spots. If he was in pain it wouldn't have lasted long." Stiles nodded as he looked away and buried his chest in his best friend's hoodie, releasing the tears silently.
Scott moved them over to the chairs by the wall and continued to hold his broken friend. Scott could smell the saltiness of the tears and whispered repeatedly the only two words his mind could summon, "I'm sorry."
"Stiles there are some personal items that I'll bring back with me but I don't think you should be alone at the moment. Not after something like this. You'll come and stay with us", Melissa whispered as she crouched in front of the chair Stiles was in.
"I want to stay with Derek", Stiles spoke after a moment. He managed to choke out the sentence before he felt the need to hide his face again.
"Honey, I'm not sure that's –", Melissa began but stopped as the power throughout the building began to fail. Lights flickered and the automatic doors got stuck wide open. Looking at the computers at the nurse's station she saw the monitors struggling to keep a picture. "Okay. Okay Stiles. Scott will drive you there. But you call us if you need anything or if you change your mind."
Stiles raised his head and looked her in the eye. Even if this was the worst day in his life, topping his previous worst day which had been the day his mom died, he had still been raised properly and he nodded as he breathed out, "Thanks Ms. McCall. I'll keep that in mind." He saw Melissa give Scott a nod that said 'get him out of here'.
Scott led his best friend back out to the jeep and took the keys that Stiles readily supplied robotically before he help Stiles into the passenger seat. Starting up the jeep Scott drove them both across town in another uncomfortable silence. There was nothing he could think of to say to the friend he had known longest in his life. Scott had known Stiles so long they were more like brothers than friends.
Pulling up at Derek's building he waited by the door for Stiles to catch up with him. Stiles was moving slowly almost as if he had given up. Scott couldn't blame him either. He had no idea what Stiles was going through. The only person who would was three floors above them. The lift came and they rode it up until they stood outside Derek's door.
Scott was momentarily surprised to find his fellow alpha standing in the doorway already. Derek looked concerned as he focused on Stiles. "Get him inside", he told Scott who taking Stiles by the arm pulled him inside and sat him down on the couch. Derek disappeared into his bedroom and came back a moment later with a blanket that he put around the broken boy's shoulders. "I'll be right back", he whispered to his mate before he pulled Scott away back towards the door. "What happened?" he asked abruptly while keeping his voice down so Stiles wouldn't hear.
"His dad died in the line of duty. Accident we think", Scott whispered back in a hushed tone. "Why were you waiting by the door?" Scott phrased his question carefully. Obviously Derek would have heard them coming but he'd never meet them at his door before.
"I smelt the despair and pain. I had to know what caused it", Derek answered honestly in a guarded voice. "Scott you can go. I'll look after him."
"That's good. Stiles wanted to come here. My mom offered for him to stay with us but he asked for you", Scott whispered softly yet slightly bitter.
"Goodnight Scott", Derek responded as he turned and headed to the younger male who sat shaking on the couch whether it was from the cold or from his emotional state Derek would never know. He sat on the couch beside Stiles and pulled the human into a tight, warm and comforting embrace. He let Stiles rest his chin on his shoulder and rubbed the back of Stiles head as he heard Stiles break down again. He pulled Stiles onto his lap so he could hold his mate closer and they sat like this silently until Stiles cried himself out.
"I'm sorry Derek", Stiles croaked from a sore throat. "I didn't want to stay with Scott or anyone else. I knew you'd be the only one who would understand." Stiles' hold around Derek tightened as he spoke.
"It's fine Stiles. You can stay as long as you like", Derek whispered in his ear. Sliding Stiles off his lap he whispered, "Let me just grab you some water." Before Stiles could object Derek escaped his grasp and disappeared into the kitchen. He was back in a flash with a glass of water that he handed to Stiles who gratefully gulped down a couple of mouthfuls to alleviate his sore dry throat.
"Thanks Sourwolf", Stiles tried to smile back but the attempt failed and Derek found it painful to watch the boy attempt it. The false cheer he tried to infect his voice with sounding wrong.
"Do you need anything else? Maybe you're tired and just want to sleep. You can use my bed. I'll sleep on the couch", Derek told Stiles.
"Derek I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed", Stiles whispered back. "I'll stay on the couch. You've done enough for me."
"Stiles you will sleep in the bed", Derek growled firmly to show Stiles he wasn't allowed to argue. "Come on you look exhausted." Derek helped him stand and walked with him to the bedroom. Stiles sat down on the edge of the bed while Derek knelt down before him and tipped his chin up with his thumb and forefinger, to look him in the eyes. "Help yourself to anything you need. If you can't find something let me know and I'll get it for you", he promised and waited for Stiles to nod. "Goodnight", he said as he stood to leave. Stiles grabbed his hand as he stood and turned to leave.
"Derek", he whispered almost too quiet for even an alpha werewolf to hear. Raising his voice slightly he continued. "Stay with me. Please. I don't want to be alone. Not tonight." Stiles stared up into Derek's eyes pleading silently. Derek nodded and moved to lie on the bed beside his mate. Lying on his back Derek felt Stiles curl up against his side and rest his head on Derek's chest. Derek rested an arm on Stiles' back and kissed the top of his head.
It had been a week since his dad had died and Stiles was still a shell. He had stayed at Derek's all week. He hadn't left the loft at all and Scott, Derek, Melissa and Lydia were getting worried. They weren't stupid; they all recognised that grief affects people in different ways but they worried about how Stiles was coping. Melissa and Scott had bought over Stiles some of his things the day after it happened; just some clothes, his laptop and a few personal belongings. They had been visiting every other day while Lydia had been over every day after school. Issac and Allison had visited too but not as often. Stiles showed no life when any of them visited. He talked but not as much as usual and he sat still which is something he never had before.
Derek was even more worried than he let on to Scott or Melissa because he saw what Stiles was like all day when no one else was around. He would wake in the morning to find Stiles cuddled up to him already awake. Derek would get them both up and make them breakfast. Stiles would only eat a few bites of toast and drain his orange juice. The first morning at Derek's loft Derek had made the boy coffee to go with his breakfast like he knew Stiles usually did but it had remained untouched. "Dad used to have coffee with his breakfast", Stiles had muttered. After that Derek didn't make the same mistake again.
All day long Stiles would sit around the apartment staring silently at the same spot for hours. Derek alternated between leaving him with his thoughts and trying to rouse some sign of life through various methods. He would sit beside his mate and embrace him lovingly while he talked. God how he talked hoping that it might help Stiles! Stiles never showed any sign that he heard Derek even though Derek was talking more than he had in years. The only time Stiles spoke was when his friends visited or he answered a direct question from Derek.
"Scott and Melissa are coming over for dinner tonight", Derek told the silent Stiles beside him before he lapsed into silence. They sat there together in silence for about half an hour before Stiles spoke, "I'm sorry Derek."
Derek frowned as he turned to look in Stiles usually warm honey eyes. They were no longer the warm honey they had been instead they were something hard and cold. Almost copper like Derek thought. Every day they grew just a bit darker and he doubted it would be long before they turned onyx. "Why are you sorry? What have you got to be sorry about?" Derek asked Stiles confused.
Stiles looked away from Derek's green eyes as he spoke. Stiles never managed to keep eye contact when speaking anymore. "I'm sorry that I'm being such a burden to you. I'm taking up space in your apartment, I'm not helping do anything and instead I just sit around all day. And worst of all I'm weak. I'm so damn weak that I insist you hold me while I sleep. I'm ruining your life. I'm as bad as Kate", Stiles whispered darkly.
"Stiles", Derek whispered back forcefully. "You are nothing like Kate. Don't you ever think that! And its okay there is no need to be sorry. You're grieving it's understandable. There is plenty of space here for the two of us. And Stiles", Derek paused until with his help the boy looked at him. "I don't mind holding you at night", he said solemnly. Derek watched as something flashed briefly in Stiles' eyes. It was so momentary that he couldn't register what he saw before it vanished. Stiles kept the glance without looking away and Derek could almost see the gears in the intelligent half elf mind working vigorously. He wished Stiles would tell him what he was thinking so he could help.
Dinner that evening with the McCalls was another quiet affair. As Derek saw Scott and his mom to the door they quietly spoke about what they could do best to help Stiles. They kept it brief and after a moment wished each other good night. As Derek walked back to him Stiles stood and grabbed his hand. Derek took the hand offered to him and allowed himself to be dragged into the bedroom. Both of them undressed and climbed onto the bed. Stiles just lying there for a moment before he pulled himself over to the alpha and secured his hands around his waist. Derek closed his eyes and breathed the scent of his mate in deeply, allowing it to fill him up as he let himself drift off to sleep.