A.N. I don't own Teen Wolf or any of it's characters!


Once they started being able to sleep again, it only took a few days for Derek to heal. Parrish was still amazed, trying in vain to understand how the hell even supernatural power could mend such a broken body so quickly. But, even if Derek's body was healed, that didn't mean that Derek was. Melissa kept him admitted and altered his charts to delay suspicion about his healing but he still woke up every night, mid-nightmare.

Melissa discharged Derek when she discharged Parrish, probably thinking they would look after each other or something, but there wasn't a chance to test that theory because they refused to leave Stiles. Melissa tried to force them out with rules and regulations, which Parrish almost gave in to, but Derek refused and Stiles swore up and down that he wouldn't sleep without them. No sleep, meant no healing. So Melissa caved. Stiles, in all his tortured humaneness, looked like death. It was impossible to look into his sad, puppy-dog eyes and not give him whatever he asked for and Stiles was milking it indefinitely. No matter how much he smiled and cracked jokes, Parrish couldn't stop the churning in his stomach. Both he and Derek worried over him constantly.

They were each secretly dreading the day Stiles would be released, but all for the same reason: they could never go back to this. It didn't matter what happened, without Stiles there was no reason for them to be together. If they lost this situation, they all knew they would lose this.. closeness.

But, like it or not-and Parrish did not-Stiles was released into the watchful care of Sheriff Stilinski. When the man strode into the hospital waiting room, it was clear he had no love for Derek. Before they could explain the situation or even look to Melissa, the sheriff had his hands on Stiles' shoulders and was steering him towards the door. Thankfully, Stiles couldn't walk that fast still so there was a beat of silence where Derek and Parrish looked to each other. Derek seemed to understand, given the anxiety in his face, but it was clear the sheriff did not want anything to do with him. Until now, Parrish had forgotten how deep the sheriff's distrust of the Hale ran… How often he'd told the deputies to keep him away from Stiles.

"Wait, sir…" The sheriff stopped, as stiff as a board.

"Bye, Parrish." And that was it. That was the end… of whatever they wanted to call this. Nothing but glares for Derek, and two little words for Parrish and it was done. Stiles was gone.

Outside, they watched the sheriff help Stiles into the passenger seat. He looked sad, almost. He knew it was the end too. From the car, he gave them a little wave but it fell flat halfway through and instead, all they could do was watch his expression fall with it.

As soon as they were out of sight, Melissa gave them both a sympathetic little touch on the arm and started suggesting they have a movie night or something but Parrish stopped listening. No more Stiles? He looked to Derek and saw the same thought cross his face. No Stiles? But Stiles was… their everything. Parrish honestly should have been surprised how shattered Derek looked, but he wasn't-because he knew his expression was the same. Melissa said something about still having each other but it wasn't right. She left them with another touch on their shoulders and a nudge towards the door but they both just stood there, looking at each other as if one of them would suddenly know how to recover from this.

Melissa was right, they did have each other. They were still out, away from that hooded figure and that hellhole of a basement. But… they were also away from Stiles. Without Stiles, there seemed to be this new barrier between them like a wedge that only drove them farther apart the longer Stiles was gone.

So, Parrish got in his cab and Derek got in his. They drove off in separate directions, each secretly sneaking glances back in the mirror, and neither said a word. Neither told the cabbie to turn back… Parrish was in a fog still but he vaguely registered trying to pay the cab driver. The driver shook his head; Melissa had already paid. Grabbing at his pockets, Parrish realized he didn't even have his wallet and they weren't even his pants. He wanted to throw up. Inside, Marta met him at the door with a smile that said she had heard what happened. She asked if he wanted her to go up with him or just give him a new key but Parrish couldn't make his mouth respond. Marta nodded and lead him up the stairs.

She walked into his apartment with him, directing him towards the bedroom and reassuring him that she would leave the key on the dresser and lock the door on her way out. She didn't leave until he was in bed. He may have been in his twenties now but she had still practically adopted him. He heard her leave.

His brain wouldn't get much farther than observing what was happening as it happened. Once Marta was gone, though, there wasn't anything for him to observe except the rustling of curtains and the dancing of shadows on the walls. Every nerve in his body was on edge. He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep. The silence was too loud and too endless without steady heartbeats marking its rhythm.

But he couldn't get up, either. He was exhausted and achy all over, but he couldn't close his eyes without feeling his chest constrict and hands all over his body. He wanted to die. But he'd held on for so long… Derek and Stiles both had done so much to keep him alive… He couldn't just give up. But there wasn't really anything to give up on. He was just stuck there, awake and miserable and exhausted. The nightmares would be hell on earth and being awake was better, even if it didn't feel that way right now. He knew that, at least in theory.

So he laid there.

And he laid there.

And he laid there.


Thanks for reading! More updates soon, I promise. I have it all written I just have to edit it :/ As always, please review, favorite, follow, and such!