Stiles The Teen Wolf
Episode Ten: Co-Captain

The sharp pain of the original bite that had turned him, was nothing compared to the piercing of Peter's claws at the back of his neck. Like needles digging into his spine, pushing images into his mind, memories that weren't his, emotions that weren't his. Fire was burning him from the inside out, blood coated his hands, and the smell of death clung to everything.

He could feel hands clinging to him and somewhere in his mind he knew that it was Derek, but he couldn't hear his voice or smell his scent. He was lost in the images of Peter's murders and then images of the Hale fire flipping back and forth. God it was so agonizing. It hurt worse than any physical injury ever could. He couldn't even breathe past the pain.

"Stiles! What did you do to him!? Stiles! Come on Stiles snap out of it." That was Derek's voice. Derek.

"Come on Nephew, I just put things into perspective for the little Beta. After all, we need his help if we are going to get revenge for what they did to our family." This one was Peter, and Stiles couldn't help but whine at the sound of his voice, trying to pry the hands off of him so that he could get further away from the psychopath.

"You know who did it? You know who started the fire."

"I know a lot more than that Derek. And we need his help to get what we want."

After that, everything faded away. The only sure this was the arms holding him tightly, protectively. Derek's arms.

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The phone's shrill ringing made Stiles bolt up in panic and confusion that actually only got worse when he noticed where he was.

He was at home, in bed, tucked in with only his jeans and a pair of socks on.

"Holy shit…" Stiles breathed slowly to himself, not noticing the fact that his phone had stopped ringing until it started up again. When he reached over the caller ID told him it was Scott. Stiles cursed again. Shit, he'd missed the game completely, what must Scott be thinking? Hell, what must his dad be thinking?

"Stiles!" Scott didn't even wait for a 'hello' before he started talking. "Stiles we've got trouble! Jackson gave me three days Stiles, he wants the bite in three days and I don't know what to do! The Argents think it's either me or Jackson, they don't even know about you! They saw the marks on Jackson's neck Stiles! The one Derek left! I think Mr. Argent put something in his car last night! Oh my god Stiles what am I going to do? What are we going to do!?"

"Scott! Scott, calm down. Take this from the beginning, how do you know Chris Argent put something on Jackson's car?" Stiles couldn't panic, not now, there was no time. He needed to be the one level headed here, Scott was already well on his way off the deep end. Not that Stiles blamed him.

"I saw him last night. I wanted to talk to Allison but when I couldn't find her I'd thought I'd talk to her aunt Kate, but Kate was with Mr. Argent by Jackson's car. Jacksons threatening me Stiles, he wants the bite no matter what but I can't even get him what he wants! I don't even have what he wants!"

Stiles closed his eyes against the headache threatening to push his sanity down the garbage shoot. "Okay, first thing is first, we have to make sure Jackson don't say anything. We gotta follow him; I'll be there in five okay?"

He barely heard Scott's 'okay' before he ended the call and got himself out of bed. He didn't bother changing out of his jeans but he did slip on a white t-shirt and one of his short sleeved flannels over it. Geez, the day already started off terribly.

Stiles didn't see his father on his way out so the Sheriff was probably at the station early this morning, not that Stiles cared one way or another, in fact, not having to face his father right now was probably the highlight of the morning. With a harsh tug, he closed the door to his jeep and pulled out his phone. He needed to talk to Derek, he was sure that was who had tucked him into bed last night.

When all he got was Derek's voice mail, Stiles threw his phone into the back with a scowl and allowed his eyes to glow for a second before he doused the anger and turned the car on. Stiles knew where Derek likely was right now. With his crazy psychopathic uncle who was out for revenge on everyone involved with the Hale Fire. He remembered all of the images from Peter's freaky claws digging into his neck and he even remembered the conversation between Derek and Peter when he was finally aware enough to listen. He knew Derek, better than probably anyone, but he didn't know everything, and that made him uneasy. Would Derek really take Peter's side just for revenge? Would Derek be able to get past the fact that Peter was the one who killed his sister? The one who turned Stiles?

"Derek…please…" Stiles whispered, hoping that wherever Derek was, he would listen to the simple plea.

He took off towards Scott's as he tried to push every thought back.

Turns out that yes, Chris was tailing Jackson, but now so was Stiles. When Jackson's car broke down and Chris stopped to pretend to look at it, Stiles figured now would be the best time to intervene. He could hear the conversation perfectly, from the claw marks to Jackson's reluctance to reveal what caused the wounds.

"There's a shop right down the street, I'm sure they have a tow truck." Scott was making meaning eyes and Jackson and Stiles was trying his best to look human, though he no longer really knew what that meant. This was actually the first time he saw Chris Argent outside of the dark woods and the man smelled repulsive. Gunpowder, wolf's bane, and cologne so bitter it made Stiles sneeze as he tried to speak.

"You want a ride? Come on Jackson you're way too pretty to be out here all by yourself." Stiles managed to keep a straight face as he said this he felt that it was a major accomplishment.

Jackson nodded and headed their way. As he got closer, Stiles could smell him past the strong scents of the Argent Hunter. The kid was scared, even nervous. Stiles could at least sympathize with that.

It came to no surprise to Scott or Stiles as Chris called to them and managed to get Jackson's car working again. Really, now the man was just being obvious. Still, he didn't know which one of the three boys was actually the werewolf in human clothes. This brought comfort to Stiles, however minutely the comfort was.

When Argent was gone, Jackson rounded on Scott.

"What are you following me now?"

Stiles could see that Scott was already passed freaking out, so he stepped in quickly. "Yes you freaking idiot!" Jackson's eyes snapped to Stiles in surprise, like the older boy hadn't even noticed Stiles was there at all. "You almost gave away everything right there!"

"What are you talking about!?" Jackson demanded. Scott stepped in now.

"He thinks you're the second Beta!"

Jackson's face was all different levels of freaked out now. "What?!"

Stiles sighed as he saw Scott's fisted hands and ridged posture, so he stepped between the two of them and turned to Jackson. "He thinks you're me." Stiles admitted softly.

The lock of Jackson's face was so comical that if the situation was just slightly less dangerous, he would have burst out laughing. As it was, was silent as Jackson collected the data Stiles just gave him.

"What?!" Jackson roared. "Skinny Stilinski is a werewolf too!? What the fuck McCall! I said get me the Bite and instead you get your little friend- You better kiss your relationship with Allison goodbye you-" Stiles heard the sound of Scott's hand connecting to his Jeep before he could even make a move to stop the pissed off human.

"Dude! My Jeep." Stiles put a hand on Scott's shoulder as they turned to Jackson.

"I'm not a werewolf you idiot! I just freakin' work hard! What's so wrong with that?! Why does there have to be some other reason?!" Scott was venting and ranting and Stiles couldn't find a way to get a word in edge wise, but Jackson could.

"Don't lie to me McCall!"

How fucking dense does a prick have to freain' be?

Stiles had to again step between them, putting a hand on each of their chests before he turned his face to Jackson and allowed his eyes to flash and his teeth to descend.

"He's not lying Jackson. He's not the wolf. I am. I could hear your heart beating from a mile away. Literally. Chris thinks there's something wrong, so now I have to keep an eye on you so he doesn't try and kill you too." Stiles stared Jackson with his glowing yellow wolf eyes. He wanted to stupid human to know exactly what was going on here, if Jackson wasn't aware of exactly what was at stake, he could tell the Argent everything he knows and Stiles won't be under their radar anymore.

"This is your problem!" Jackson argued after a beat, "I didn't say anything so that means you're the one that's going to get me killed! This is your fault!" He tried to shove Stiles, but he didn't get far. Stiles had his wrists in a firm grip and the young wolf could feel the snarl on his lips.

"Don't you dare touch me." Stiles growled before throwing the human's wrists down. "When they come after you Jackson, I won't be able to protect you. I can't protect anyone." He threw a glance over his shoulder at Scott, who just glared at him.

Jackson didn't seem to be getting the point though, if his neck sentence was anything to go by.

"You know what? None of you have to do it. Get me what I want and I'll be fine protecting myself!"

"No you won't!" Scott bellowed out from behind Stiles, pushing at Stiles shoulder so that he could face Jackson. "All it does is ruin your life! I'm not even one Jackson, I'm human and all it's done is destroy everything I tried to build! My girlfriend broke up with me, I have people trying to kill me, and my best friend-" he stopped then, turning a worried eye to Stiles who had gone ridged with guilt.

Silence rang for a minute before Jackson started in again like the idiot he was. "It ruined your life, but what about Stilinski? Is your life ruined? No one even knows what you are, everyone here thinks its McCall."

Stiles bristled but forced himself to calm down. "I didn't ask for this Jackson. I never would. Did it make my life better? No. Did it make it worse? Possibly. It doesn't matter. The Alpha's out for revenge and nothing else. He would kill you before he'd turn you."

Jackson scowled. "Well then you better find a way Stilinski. You're McCall's best friend right? You want him to be happy?" Jackson smirked when Stiles glanced at Scott briefly. "You get me the bite, I get McCall Allison. Three days."

When he turned his back and walked away, Scott screamed. There was so much rage and frustration in the scream that Stiles had to cover his ears.

"He's so stupid!"

Stiles couldn't help but agree.

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When Stiles got home, his father was home pouring over case files concerning the murders. With a few drinks Stiles knew his father would loosen his tongue, and just like that, Stiles got all of the certain details. From the Bus driver being the insurance investigatory accused of fraud to the video clerk being convicted felon with a history of arson. Even the two homeless bums Stiles and Scott met in the woods were under suspicion of multiple crimes including arson. Just like what Stiles was shown, Peter had only killed those people involved with the fire, everyone but Laura.

Guilt had washed over Stiles again when things turned tender in his father's drunken state. The words were almost lost, but Stiles heard them, and he broke a little under them.

"I miss talking to you. It's like we never have time-" Stiles cut him off, telling John he needed to make a phone call, specifically to Derek, but then his father continued. Four words caught Stiles off guard. "I miss your mom…"

Silence fell over the Stilinski men like water and Stiles wasn't sure he could speak through the golf ball lodged in his throat. He felt the sadness so intensely now that he could also smell it in his father. Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes, but he stood strong, sighing as his father looked up at him.

It would be easier to talk about this if I was drunk too…

"I miss her too…" Stiles admitted, before coming closer to help his father up. "Come on dad, let's get you to bed. You can pour yourself over those files in the morning." The fact that John didn't even protest was a testament to how deep the hurt really went, but Stiles tried his best to ignore that part.

"You're just like her you know." John continued as Stiles helped him up the stairs. Stiles was almost tempted to do anything he could to make his father stop talking, but another part of him wanted to hear this, needed to even. They spend so long trying to not talk about it, but maybe it was time to. "She was always so eccentric. Your eyes are so alike; I see her there sometimes. And just like her, I'm slowly loosing you too."

Stiles stumbled with his father as the last few words cut into his heart. "You're not losing me dad." Stiles insisted, not being able to keep the tears from falling now. It was only two, but they were still there. "I'm here old man; I'm here for a long while yet. You aren't going to outlive me." It was truer now that he was a wolf than ever. Someday he would watch his father die, just like they had watched his mother. When he phone rang, it was almost a saving grace.

"Come on dad." He almost dragged his dad to bed, but when the Sheriff sighed and pulled himself together, telling Stiles to go do what he had to, Stiles was almost reluctant to go but the phone was persistent. "Goodnight dad." Stiles called as he made his way downstairs to grab his phone. He didn't even bother with the Caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Stiles!"

Stiles startled at the yell from the other end, but the worry won over. "Scott? What's wrong buddy?"

"Stiles! Peter was here!"

"What!" Panic came quickly in Stiles' guts like fire, "What do you mean he was there?"

"He was here Stiles! He was here! He took my mom out! On a DATE Stiles!"

"Get ready Scott, I'm on my way over, we are going to stop this."

He hung up without even waiting for a goodbye. He didn't even stumble as he made his way out of the house and dialed the number that has become so familiar to him now. When all he gets is the voicemail, he swears venomously before leaving a short and angry message.

"Derek, call me. Now."

He didn't even care that he sped the whole way to Scott's, all he cared about was stopping any plans Peter, and by extension, Derek had.

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The plan was simple and honestly not very thought out, but it worked, right up until Peter opened his mouth concerning Jackson.

Stiles dashed out without bothering to make an excuse for Scott's mom, Scott could take care of his car for all he cared, he knew that if Peter was here, Derek was with Jackson. He wasn't going to let Derek do this; he wasn't going to let Peter control Derek. He knew the blue eyed wolf well enough to know that Derek was better than that. Revenge or no revenge, Derek would do what was right, he just needed someone to remind him what was right.

He knew exactly where Derek would take Jackson. When he was close enough, the smell of ash covered everything and Stiles almost chocked on it. Peter's memories were still fresh on his mind and the sight of the Hale house made him stumble, but Derek was in there. Derek was in there, about to do something very very stupid.

"Wouldn't there be someone here trying to save you?! There's no one here! There is a reason no one cares that you drive an expensive car, no one cares that you have perfect hair, and no one cares that you're captain of the lacrosse team." He was just in time to catch the tail end of Derek's lecture, and he couldn't help but agree. Jackson was so full of himself, so cocky and selfish he deserved every word, he even deserved the fear…but he didn't deserve to die.

"Derek!" Stiles voice echoed in through the house from the top of the stairs. He'd managed to actually surprise the other wolf, which was unusual, but it clued Stiles in on one important thing. Derek was nervous. "I think you mean co-captain." Stiles wasn't sure why he said that, or why he said it with a smile, but he wanted to calm Derek down.

"What are you doing here Stiles?" Derek glared but Stiles could smell the guilt, and he was sure Derek knew he could.

Please Derek, don't do this…

"I'm here to make sure you don't do something stupid." He started down the stairs, moving Jackson aside with a nudge of his foot until he stood toe-to-toe with Derek, so close now he could smell more than just the guilt. He also smelled the anger, the confusion, and the fear. Derek didn't know what to do.

Stiles allowed his hand to come up but he stopped himself before he touched Derek's cheek. Derek didn't back down, instead, he snarled.

"Move Stiles."

"No." Stiles glared back.

"Fine. Then I'll kill you too!"

I don't believe that for a second. Stiles scowled before grabbing the back of Derek's neck and pulling him down.

The kiss was more teeth than anything, brutal and harsh, each one trying to get the advantage. They'd never kissed like this before but it didn't matter. Derek growled like an animal and broke skin, calming only slightly at the taste of Stiles' blood. Stiles was so caught up in the taste and the feelings that were starting to bubble up in his gut that he didn't notice until it was too late.

Derek heard it first. The flash arrow came fast, but so did the gun shots.

Derek managed to dodge, but Stiles didn't. A hit to the stomach had him down next to Jackson, who stood and fled faster than any werewolf Stiles had seen so far.

Fucking coward, he wants to be a werewolf but runs and hides at the first trace of trouble.

"Stiles!"

Instantly Derek was right next to Stiles, and the younger wolf couldn't help but grin. This was Derek, the real Derek back again. "Shit Stiles, you have to get out of here! Go!" Derek was tugging on his arm, trying to get him up and moving, but every breath was a knife to the gut. He tried to say as much but he was choking on blood. Black blood.

"Stiles they're wolf's bane bullets, you have to get, you have to get out of here, they won't stop until they have one of us!"

Derek's voice was wavering and Stiles opened his mouth again to talk but only coughed up more of the disgusting liquid. Was this even blood?

"God damn it Stiles!" the growl was right in his face, but it did nothing for him. Using werewolf strength, Derek got Stiles to his feet, giving the younger wolf a small kiss on the temple before pushing him away. "Run!"

He didn't want to flea and he really didn't want to leave Derek here along in the path of hunters, but his instincts were screaming at him to run and follow Derek's order. He was injured and under attack from an enemy he couldn't see or smell.

Stiles didn't know how far he got; actually he didn't even know when he'd dropped. All he really knew was that someone was carrying him. The voice was familiar and so was the scent, but Stiles couldn't identify the person. So he faded in and out, unsure if it was safe but unable to do much else.

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When his phone went off, Scott thought it was Allison. He'd gotten home only to find Allison gone. He'd trying to call her twice already, but when she didn't respond, he gave up.

The human boy's hopes were smashed when the panicked male voice filled the phone's speakers.

"Did you know Stilinski was queer?!"

Scott reeled back like he'd been hit and he wasn't sure if it was by the words or the person who said them. "Jackson? What the hell?"

"Stilinski, McCall! Keep up! Did you know Stilinski was queer and dating Derek Hale?!"

"Jackson what the hell are you talking about? Make sense or I'm hanging up." Scott scowled because yes. He'd known Stiles was bi, he just didn't know about Derek.

"Listen McCall, 'cause I'm only going to say this once. The Argents took Derek, and Stiles was shot. He ran and I don't know where but he…he saved my life alright. I owe him this but nothing else. I didn't know who to call so your it."

The dial tone that followed the statement startled Scott back into action. Shit! Stiles!

Scott almost dropped his phone in his attempt to dial Stiles. With each ring, the rock in his gut tightened, until finally someone picked up, but it wasn't Stiles.

"Hello?"

"Deaton?" Scott looked around his room in confusion, huffing out breaths in an attempt to speak but not finding any words that express his wayward thoughts.

"Hello Scott, you're calling for Stiles I assume?"

God how do they get into these situations? No one can be trusted, what the hell? "Yeah, is he there?"

"Yes he is. I treated him for the gun shot and gave him something to speed up the healing process. He's at the clinic now."

Scott wanted to hit his head against something hard but it just figured really. The whole town is crazy, why not his boss? After all they believed he was the Alpha until Peter showed his hand.

"I thought you were a vet."

"That's very true. Ninety percent of the time I'm treating cats and dogs."

With a huff, Scott groaned. "Mostly?"

"Mostly." Deaton answered. "If you want to come see him, I'm afraid he won't be conscious till morning. It's good that you called, if you wouldn't mind covering for him with his father if John asks."

Tired and honestly confused, Scott nodded. "Yeah fine. Tell him I'll be there in the morning."

"I'll see you then Scott."

The human hung up before he fell backwards onto his bed. He tried again to call Allison, but again she didn't answer, so he left a message asking if they could talk. It was lame, but he couldn't help it. God he felt pathetic. His best friend was getting shot at and dating a murderer. He didn't murder anyone Scott! Stiles' voice repeated in his head. Okay, yeah, Stiles was right. Derek didn't kill anyone, but how could his best friend tell him about being Bi, but not about dating a wanted felon. His fault or not, Derek was a wanted felon.

Shit, even Stiles was having a better love life than Scott. Why did everything have to be so hard? He had worked so hard during the summer so that his year would be easier, but instead everything is even worse. Not only does he have to worry about grades and sports, he's worrying about his life against werewolf hunters, his werewolf best friend dating a wanted felon who is also a werewolf, a crazy Alpha trying to date his mother…when would all of this stop?

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(READ ME SO THAT YOU GUYS AREN'T CONFUSED!

So here is what went down, this chapter is shorter than all the others due to the content of the actual episode, there was honestly nothing I could add and if I had it would just have dragged the story out or damaged it from running its natural course, and it would have been boring, so bottom line is, Chapter's done here, if you want to go and wait for the next chapter, leave now, because things are about to get VERY DIFFERENT! I REPEAT, FROM HERE ON, THIS IS SORT OF A DIFFERENT STORY. IT'S JUST A TREAT FOR YOU GUYS THOUGH, MY LOYAL READERS.

I figured, instead of boring you guys, I would write a little ficlette…although that was the original plan, when I started writing it just…yeah, there is a deep and very thrilling plot in there for you guys. If you guys want more of THIS story though, you have to review and ask for it because otherwise I won't continue it.

Summary: Due to a mix of Druid and Fae Magic, Stiles ends up in a Parallel universe were things happened very differently than he remembers. According to the rule of Parallel Universes, one event that happened or choice that was made leads to multiple different outcomes. So what event could possibly ruin the pack the he knows and loves to this extent? (Follows Teen Wolf seasons 1, 2, and 3, but somewhat ignores the events in season 4.) STEREK MATES! May be continued if people actually like it.

Not The Roads We Know

Magic wasn't something that came easy to Stiles, whether or not he was born with it like his mother. Being a teenage boy with ADHD was hard enough as it is, but when he came into his powers at 11 years old everything just got worse.

Control was important, one of the first things he was required to learn, though mainly because he'd almost burned the house down when he'd gotten angry at his dad for grounding him from seeing Scott. All things considered Stiles was actually very proud of his control now. A good seven years of practice did him endless amounts of good, but he wasn't perfect.

Which is why he was currently here. In a parallel dimension to his own.

He knew it was parallel because something's were the same. The place in which he was standing was the same as his dimension, the people around him were the same as his dimension, even the druid and hunters they were currently up against were the same, but there was definitely something wrong.

"Stiles! Stay out of the way!" Derek roared as he pushed Stiles into the burned remains of the Hale House, taking the dart of wolf's bane to the shoulder instead of letting it hit Stiles.

"What the hell Derek! That wouldn't have hit me in the first place; I've got a spell up numbnuts!" Stiles called back. He didn't miss the looks of confusion he got from the rest of the pack, but right now was not the time to question shit. They needed to get the hunters away and take the druid down. "Scott! Take Isaac and Boyd and draw the Hunters away! Erica and Malia can handle holding the druid down!"

Now the werewolves around him were full out freaked, but that didn't matter. "Scott go!" Stiles yelled before turning back to Derek, pulling the dart out without warning and waving a hand over the wound. He paid no mind to Derek's growl or the howl in his ear to 'Get the hell away!' He needed to handle this situation before it got out of hand.

"Derek, where's Jackson? We need some muscle." Stiles asked, keeping his eyes own for any more darts, he had a spell up around them so nothing short of silver bullets would cut through his magic. Fae were weak against silver after all.

Derek's face was a mixture of anger, grief, and full out bewilderment. Stiles scowled at him and grabbed his shoulder. "Answer me Derek."

"Jackson's in Europe Stiles! He left the pack years ago!"

Oh shit…You have got to be kidding me.

"Then what about Boyd? Scott looked at me like I kicked his puppy and I couldn't understand why."

The look on Derek's face lost the anger but doubled the grief, keeping all of the bewildered. Stiles almost didn't want to hear the answer. Not that he had too, as the druid chose that moment to make an attack.

A silver dagger came flying and Stiles cursed as he used his own burst of magic to push himself and Derek out of the path of danger.

He reached into his boot for his own silver dagger and lobbed it back, expecting to miss. Only, he didn't miss. The druid wasn't expecting a silver weapon, so when he tried to use his magic to fling the dagger away, it lodged itself right between the eyes, exactly where Stiles had aimed. The druid fell with a sick thump to the ground. To be honest, it was rather anticlimactic as Derek and Stiles kneeled there together on the front porch of the bones of the Hale House waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Stiles!"

The female voice calling his name startled him enough that he rose from his possession next to Derek and looked around for the speaker, though he recognized the voice. Malia came running at him like a torpedo and he smiled at her, opening his arms for a hug. What he was not expecting was the brutal kiss she landed on his lips.

The shock lasted longer than he would admit to, but the second his brain caught up with him, he pushed her way violently, not that it did much to her other than surprise her.

Stiles whipped a hand over his mouth and turned wide eyes to Derek, opening his mouth to speak even before the older wolf rose.

"I don't know what that was! I swear to god Derek, I didn't do it. She came at me! You saw it, it wasn't me; I didn't even encourage it! I'm surprised she would even do that in front of you! She knows what even hugging me makes you feel! I'm sorry; I won't let it happen again, okay? Don't kill her, I'm sure she didn't even mean it, she's just glad I didn't die. Right Malia?" He turned pleading eyes to the female wolf only to be met with confused and hurt brown eyes. His gaze didn't linger, instead he looked back at Derek who never lost the grief, anger, bewilderment thing he had going on. "Derek?" Stiles asked tentatively.

No one got the chance to speak as Scott came back from the edge of the clearing carrying Kira, panting but otherwise unharmed. Scott put Kira down after a moment and hugged her, kissing her temple and nose before he kissed her lips.

Stiles gasped before he marched up to Scott and hit him in the back of the head. Hard.

"What the fuck Scott?" Stiles yelled, getting even angrier when Scott turned confused and hurt eyes to him. That was becoming a trend now, confusion and hurt. "What the hell is Allison going to think when she sees you kissing Kira?! Just because their friends doesn't mean you can fuck both of them Scott!"

And there was the grief. Just like in Derek face at the mention of Boyd.

What the hell was going on here?

"Scott? Why do you look like you're about to cry?" Stiles asked quietly, the anger having burned away in the face of Scott's sorrow.

"What are you talking about Stiles?" Kira asked instead. She was standing next to Scott, holding his hand and squeezing it tightly as if in support. Stiles was further thrown for a loop when an unknown teenage boy came out into the clearing with blood covering his white shirt.

"Holy shit, who the hell are you?!" Stiles yelled, mostly because the boy was wolfed out, yellow eyes burning holes into Stiles' face. Again the confusion was there.

Malia came up behind Stiles, her hand laying softly on his arm. That was strange in itself; Malia was never 'soft'. "Stiles that's Liam. You know Liam. You're the one who told me that he was pack."

Stiles furrowed his brows and turned from her to the boy, Liam, before looking at Scott and Kira, their clasped hands, and then turning to Derek.

"Derek…" His voice was so small to his own ears. It was almost a whispered whine. "What's going on here?"

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"Boyd's dead?" Stiles voice wavered as he looked around the living room at each member of his pack. At what was left of his pack.

"Yes Stiles." Lydia sighed. She looked so tired, almost a little dead inside. Stiles could understand though, her best friend had died after all. "Erica, Allison, Aiden, even Isaac, and Jackson are gone."

All he could do was nod dumbly, not really sure if he understood what his pack had just told him. More than half of his pack, more than half of the people he had just hung out with and ate dinner with last night…were gone.

His eyes strayed to Derek, who looked so lost and sad that Stiles couldn't help it. Stiles went to him.

Everyone was shocked when he ran his hands over Derek's hair, but no one so much so as Derek himself. Almost on instinct his hand shot out to grab Stiles wrist in a bruising grip, but all Stiles did was wince. "Right, sorry. Sorry. Forgot. Not my Derek."

Stiles forced out a grin before pulling his hand from Derek's grip and backing away. He looked to Lydia again. "Okay, can you go through it again? Everything that's happened since Scott got bit."

It was a long story. Familiar, but at the same time completely different than what Stiles had experience in his own dimension. So many pack members lost, so many not even bothering to stick around. Jackson, Ethan, Isaac, Cora, and Danny all of them left this pack in search of something better. Not to mention all of those truly lost. Allison, Aiden, Boyd, Erica, even Stiles himself it seemed had to a very hard patch.

When Lydia was done for the second time, everyone eyed Stiles like he was a circus performer. Everyone waiting to see his next trick, but Stiles was still too caught up in all of the new information to perform for them. This couldn't be happening; none of this could be true.

"That can't be possible…No one…no one dies in my world. No one leaves; everyone's together guys." He looks around at every face, his eyes pleading and filled with unshed tears.

"It's impossible. Jackson wouldn't leave." He rounded on Lydia. "He loved you! After everything he did, he stayed for you!" Her own eyes were brimming with tears now. Tears so fat that Stiles could actually watch them as they fell.

"And Boyd and Erica would never ask to leave the pack!" His eyes zeroed in on Derek. "You changed their lives! Gave them hope! They were never captured or killed and Cora came to find you just in time to help save everyone from the Alpha pack." God he felt pathetic looking at Derek's sorrow filled eyes with a plea on his lips. "And Allison…" His eyes fell on Scott who flinched back, tears already falling. Just seeing Scott's reaction was heartbreaking and Stiles couldn't even breathe for a second.

It was all true. Everything they told him.

"What was it like?" Malia's voice came from the foot of the stairs where she was hiding, slightly further away from everyone. Stiles looked at her blankly for a second, so she asked again. "What was your world like? It's obvious you didn't come from here, you aren't our Stiles."

The second she said that, Stiles felt it. No, he wasn't their Stiles and this wasn't his pack. His eyes found Derek on their own, but the older wolf was looking away. Stiles tried to reach for it, the connection of an emissary to the Alpha, but he couldn't find the link. That wasn't even his Derek.

"Who's the Alpha?" Stiles asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Scott was the one who spoke for the first time since Stiles arrived in this strange parallel dimension of horror. "Me."

Stiles couldn't stop his mouth from falling open, which was probably an insult, but the shock was just too much. He looked from Scott to Derek and back again.

Before he could stop it, he started laughing.

It wasn't a joyful sound, it wasn't even a nervous reaction, it was hysterical. It was crazy laughter, but it spilled out of him like a shaken soda can. He laughed so hard he was crying…and then he was sobbing.

No one moved to help him, though he could see that a few people wanted to. Malia and Scott being at the top. Not even Derek made a move to comfort him. Derek…What must his Derek be thinking right now? Faced with a broken Stiles who had to live with this broken pack. What must this world's Stiles think? Standing toe to toe with ghosts.

"No one's dead…" Stiles rasps out after a moment. Instantly everyone's attention is focused on him once again, but he doesn't look up, just keeps his eyes to the ground. "Just last night we had a pack night. Allison even baked brownies." He looked up, searching her out even though he knew he wouldn't see her. But he did see her in a way. Stiles saw Allison in the look of heartbreak on Lydia and Scott's face.

"Boyd, Derek, and I played p…" he didn't bother turning to Derek, he could feel the awful gut wrenching pain as it was. "Erica gave Kira and Malia make-overs and even put a fashion show on with Allison for the other guys." God this was like torture. He could feel the oppressive cloud of darkness like an anvil. This group of people wasn't even a pack, not really. This pack didn't even come close to his own.

"Oh god…" Stiles moaned in agony as he gave up and sat on the floor. "Derek's going to go crazy…"

Like rubber band, everyone's heads snapped up, it was actually an audible thing. It made Stiles tense a bit, before he gave up for a second time and relaxed.

"What do you mean Derek is going to go crazy?" Scott asked with a weary edge. Stiles realized that he was trying to take control of the situation. Like an Alpha. God that was so weird. Back in his world everyone loved Scott, but no one would follow the boy to battle if their life depended on it.

"It's hard for a werewolf to be away from his mate after they're found." Stiles answers simply. There was no way to sugar coat it.

The reaction time was phenomenal though.

It took everyone literally seven minutes to do anything and even then the first one to act was Malia. In an instant bit of growling and snarling, she was at Derek's throat, but Derek may have been prepared for it with how fast he acted.

Derek grabbed her by the back of her shirt and threw her over his shoulder, wolfing out himself as he stood from the couch. They snarled at each other, and Malia was about to try again, but Stiles intervened.

With a snap of his fingers he held a ball of flames that he sent down into the ground between them, getting both wolf to back away instantly.

"Back off!" Stiles yelled at them both, though his back was to Derek. It was instinctual almost, to protect Derek.

"He's not your mate! He's mine!" Malia screamed. She looked like she was about ready to charge again when Scott stood up and roared at her. Her wolf features melted away into a crushed teenage girl, and Stiles wanted to reach out to her. She was like his sister after all, he taught her out to fit back into human society back in the day. He'd talked her though being human and even talked to her about Peter being her father. He knew better though, if he reached out, he'd be accepting her claim. So instead, he spoke for himself.

"I don't belong to anyone. At least not anyone here." He looked over his shoulder at Derek, who, despite standing tall with his head held high, wouldn't meet Stiles' eyes. "I'm guessing you didn't tell the Stiles of this dimension that you two were mates?"

Finally Derek looked at him, and in an instant Stiles could see it. The longing look that his own Derek used to send him back when everything started. Stiles was so caught up in that look he barely noticed when Derek started talking.

"He didn't want me. I was the enemy for so long that when we were finally on the same side it was too late." Derek thinned his lips and then shook his head as if to clear it. Stiles recognized that move too, he wasn't thinking self-deprecating thoughts.

"Hey there big guy, I don't think you understand what mates really are." Stiles knew he was barking up the wrong tree. Derek had grown up with the tales of life long mates and the happiness of being meant for each other. Still, Stiles has felt the mating bond when it was complete, this Derek didn't.

It didn't stop Derek from rolling his eyes and sneering though.

"So what? You really are Derek's mate?" Liam, the teenage boy Stiles didn't know, spoke up this time. Stiles had honestly forgotten the boy was even there. "Is there really such a thing as mates? For bitten werewolves too?" The boy sounded hopeful, not that Stiles wasn't surprised. If even Derek was a closet romantic, then everyone had a little romance in them.

Stiles grinned over at the boy before it fell and he shook his heads. "Bitten wolves were originally human. While they can find a mate, it won't be what it was for me and Derek." It was weird. Looking at Derek's face but not seeing Derek. "For us it was instinct. An unexplainable draw that bound us together. Even my magic called out to him, like his wolf called out to me."

"Magic?" This was from Kira, who was smiling though more than a little lost. That look was so familiar. At least Kira didn't change.

Stiles nodded again and stole a glance at Derek before speaking. "I'm the pack emissary. Back in my dimension, or my universe, or world or whatever. I'm not a Druid though, I'm part Fae."

"Stiles is a fairy?" Lydia's eyes were wide but everyone else just looked lost. Stiles scowled at her.

"Can we not use that word? God, Jackson mocked me for years after you blurted out that exact thing the first time I told you guys." And it was true too, Jackson and Isaac both had been merciless in their teasing.

"So you are a fairy." Stiles had forgotten about Malia, but when her voice growled from beside him, he was back to staring at her as she bared her teeth. Her emotions were everywhere on her face and body, but there were so many of them that Stiles couldn't honestly pick them out.

"No." He said tentatively. "I just have an affinity for magic. A powerful spark."

"What's the difference between a Fae and a Druid?" Lydia asked. There was interest in her eyes now. A quest for knowledge that Stiles was very familiar with. It made him feel a bit more connected to this broken group, Malia and Liam aside.

He was about to answer when Derek cut in instead. "Druids are humans bound to the earth and thus able to use the earth as a power source for magic. The Fae are essentially made of magic." His gaze was boring into Stiles like a homing beacon. "I didn't know Stiles was Fae."

Stiles smiled a bit, he hadn't wanted to tell the others either until Derek had confronted him on his strange smell. At that point though his magic had progressed a lot under his mother's watchful care. At that thought his smile dropped a bit.

"In my world, Derek smelled the magic in me. I'd been training with my mom since I was 11 so I was strong enough to warrant detection when we met. You didn't confront me about it until Jennifer Blake though."

Scott's sharp inhale had everyone's notice. And so did his words.

"Stiles, in this universe, your mom died when you were 7."

(This story is now up on My account under the name Not The Roads We Know)