** Okay, sorry Ihaven't been posting. I am still working on this story. RL kind of got away from me. I'm dealing with a death in my family, so it's taken me away from writing. I am still editing the next chapter so it's just the one today. I hope you all enjoy. **
Chapter 7
Isaac:
I jogged into the building and down to the locker room. I was still all smiles as I made my way to my locker. Seeing Allison so happy and relaxed was just everything to me.
This morning with the car went great. Besides some detailing and tire changes there was nothing wrong with the car and Mr. Argent was able to get the price down a little more so now I have some extra cash which I can put towards the date I am planning. Everything seems to be looking up which is great but makes me nervous. History has shown that whenever everything is going great we run into a problem… or five, usually a supernatural one. I was trying to shake off that feeling and just stay with the positive.
"You look like you are in a good mood." Liam said, standing next to my locker already dressed out.
"I am. My girl is happy, the car I looked at this morning was in great shape and cost me less then I planned to pay and things are peaceful right now. I'm in a great mood."
"Sshh… don't say the p word too loudly. You know how things work here in Beacon Hills." Stiles called from the other side of the lockers. I laughed but I also agreed with him.
"Either way, I'm glad Allison is feeling better." Liam said.
"Yeah, me too. Thanks, for whatever you said to her at the beach. I think that helped her."
"Of course. She shouldn't have to live with that kind of guilt. Especially for that. I would never say this to her and I really do feel for what she is going through but Kate was a menace, her no longer being a threat is a huge weight lifted." He said with a frown.
"Do you still think about what happened?"
"Yeah, sometimes. Not as much about her but other stuff." He admitted. Scott and Stiles came over to our side listening in. "But Theo, Mason and my dad have been good about pulling me back, especially Theo. Though sometimes I can still feel myself in that mask you know, and I still see her face and the hatred… I try not to dwell on it." he sighed.
"I'm sorry you are still dealing with those thoughts. I know how that is. But Theo's doing great. I swear if you look up giddy in the dictionary it would have Theo's picture underneath it."
"Oh my God, dude. I swear, sometimes him and Corey together, it's like Mason and I are wrangling toddlers in they are so happy and playful. We have to keep them from getting into trouble of some kind." He huffed rolling his eyes making all of us laugh. "But I wouldn't change it for the world. Theo is loads happier then he has ever been. Corey seems to bring out this other side to him."
"You mean the side that has learned how to hold his breath better?" Stiles asked. Liam snorted but laughed.
"Yeah, if I didn't know how much Corey loved him I would worry about how many times he has held him under water."
"You look relaxed, but I can tell something is going on. What's wrong?" Scott asked, ever the alpha. Liam deflated a little, shuffling on his feet.
"Yeah, I actually wanted to talk to you guys about something."
"What's going on? Is something happening with Theo?" Stiles asked.
"No, Theo's great really. It's… Corey. I mean he's fine. I don't think there is anything physically wrong with him. But, he's having flashbacks. Sometimes he gets this far off look and he kind of clenches his hands. He just looks like he's lost in memory or something."
"Flashbacks." I nodded. "Yeah, I understand that."
"Yeah, and Theo says that sometimes he has nightmares that Theo has to wake him from. He's talking to Theo and Parrish but Theo thinks he's holding back because he feels guilty putting all of that on them. Its making Theo anxious and then he starts to feel guilty because he didn't go through whatever Corey did and he doesn't know how to help him." Liam admitting, sadly.
"I get that." I said sighing while I finished dressing out.
"How did you… I mean…" Liam started but was hesitant to ask the questions he wanted too.
"I won't lie it was hard to talk about what I went through. I didn't want to talk about it. Not because of guilt, well not in the sense that I would bring others down. But because… at the time I thought I was weak for letting it still affect me, even after I escaped it. My original escape was better then what I had come from but where I am now… is infinitely better. I will never be able to express how grateful I am to have Melissa and Scott, not to mention Allison and Argent. Even Derek is better than he was then."
"Snort, no shit." Stiles said. Both Scott and I grinned, nodding.
"I'm long past the stage where I want to carry that burden on my own. It took a while for me to get there though. All of them have always made sure that I can come to them with anything, especially Melissa."
"That's true. Isaac and mom have scheduled weekly tea time, where they talk." Scott concurred nodding.
"Well mostly that's for gossip. I swear your mom works in a soap opera." I smirked at him. He laughed and nodded again.
"Malia's the same. She still thinks about and has flashbacks about what she did when she was coyote. But we talk and she talked to my dad. It seems to have helped." Stiles added.
"Corey, went through something that none of us can understand, not really. We can empathize but we weren't there. We didn't see or experience what he did. Talking about it, knowing that someone is there for him no matter what could be a good thing. But, on the other hand." I shrugged, knowing this part from experience. "Knowing that others know what he went through, what he still suffers with remembering could make him feel like he's weak or less because he can't just get over it like some people do. Sometimes people just want to suffer through it and hope it gets better. Not saying that's a healthy way of doing things but it depends on the person and the mentality. Not to mention the experience."
"Yeah, Theo's hesitant to bring it up when he seems fine after the fact. But he also worries that he's just suffering in silence."
"How about I talk to Corey. I can tell him my story and maybe it will be easier to open up to someone who knows exactly what he is feeling. Does he know my story?"
"No I don't think so. None of us wanted to tell him without your permission." Liam said.
"Okay, maybe not right now. But maybe a day when the girls and Theo are cooking or visiting the spa, I'll just take him aside and talk to him. Let him know he doesn't have to deal with everything alone anymore."
"I think that would be great but only if you are comfortable doing that. I can talk to Theo about it. He may want to be there though."
"I think him being there will make Corey less likely to open up. I don't think that Corey resents him for not having the same issue but for Corey this is something more personal, internal and it would probably work best for him to open up more if Theo is not involved. At least for right now."
"Okay, I will… try to get him to understand that. He is really in protective mode when it comes to Corey. But I think if he knows that you can try to help him he may relax a little. Thanks."
"Sure. Now let's go before coach has us running suicides for the next two hours."
We all laughed as we ran out to the field. The girls, Mason, Theo and Corey were sitting in the bleachers laughing and looking at something on Theo's phone. But they all looked up as we made it outside.
"There you four are. What the hell took you so long? Did you stop to get your nails done? 20 suicides, now." Coach yelled as soon as we hit the field. Groaning we all took off to the side to do our suicides.
The clinic went as suspected. Liam and Scott taking the brunt of coach's… encouragement since they were the group leads. Stiles, as per usual, fell out when coach blew the whistle.
"That was the sorriest performance I have ever seen. What have you all been doing since classes ended, sitting on your asses eating Oreos? Your endurance should be more then it is right now. I expect more out you losers. From now on we are starting each clinic with suicides until you are up to my standards." Coach shouted before throwing the lacrosse ball he had been holding wildly.
The ball headed for the rest of our group in the bleachers, right towards Mason who was busy laughing with Theo over something on his screen and didn't see it coming. But Corey, who did see it, reached out with lightening reflexes and caught the ball bare hand right before it hit him in the head. Mason looked up, blinking at Corey's ball filled hand inches from his face.
"Whoa… oh… uh." Coach hawed, flustered. "Didn't see you there. Can you throw that back please?"
Corey stood up, reared his hand back and threw the ball with surprising force at him. All of our jaws dropped when the ball smashed into the coach's forehead, knocking him off his feet.
I heard Corey whisper oops as everyone made their way over to the coach. Stiles and Scott helped him up just as the others made it to us.
"I'm fine, I'm fine. You, kid." Coach pointed at a nervous Corey as he charged towards him. Liam had to hold back a tense looking Theo, who was going into protective mode.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw that hard." Corey said, wringing his hands.
"Never mind that. Have you ever thought about playing Lacrosse?" Coach asked him.
JATJATJAT
"Dude, the way you caught that ball… amazing." Stiles said to Corey as we all sat around the living room after stuffing ourselves with the dinner the girls and Theo made. Everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy it.
"It really was. You should have heard coach when we all got back to the locker room… 'You sorry sacks were just shown up by a kid who wasn't even on the team. Up your games or I'm replacing you all with his clone'." Scott said, mimicking the coach.
"I still can't believe that he wants me on the team. I mean I have never played sports a day in my life. Though I guess running for your life could be considered a sport." He mused then shrugged. "You guys are gonna have to get me up to speed on the game. I have never seen it played before."
"Don't worry, we got you. Maybe we should meet up an hour early tomorrow before the clinic and give you the gist." I said. Corey nodded enthusiastically.
"I got an extra stick I don't use. You can use it for practice. Everyone usually plays with their own equipment. It's old and not as stable, but for clinic it should be fine." Liam said coming back into the room with another bowl of gelato and cake.
"Isn't that your third bowl?" Theo asked his boyfriend incredulously as Liam sat right in front of him on the floor.
"I shared the other two with you." Liam pointed out.
"Yeah I only got a few bites out of each bowl." He rolled his eyes. Liam held up a spoonful to him and smiling Theo accepted it.
"Okay, seriously, there has to be a sugar addict's anonymous group somewhere." Stiles said. "Maybe a weaning program or something."
"Yeah, Doc tried that. It didn't work. Especially on a werewolf who can sniff out things." Theo snickered. Liam shrugged.
"Anyway, thanks Liam. Maybe I will be able to get one when school starts but I would rather wait until I see if I am any good first." Corey said, shaking his head at them. "Theo you never wanted to try playing?"
"Yeah, no." Theo snorted. "Liam tried to teach me a few things and yeah… so not my thing. But I plan to be in the crowd to cheer you both on."
"See, you found your calling. Are you planning to wear the little skirt to the games?" Corey grinned. Theo threw a pillow at him while the rest of us laughed.
"Brat." He called him, fighting a laugh. "Just for that I am not making those cookies I promised."
"Hey, why should I be punished for Corey's comment?" Liam whined, giving his boyfriend puppy eyes.
Everyone just laughed at his put out expression and none of us were surprised when Theo, although complaining about his sugar intake, promised to make him cookies.
Everyone left not long after that. Scott and Lydia were going for a ride on Scott's bike, Stiles and Malia were off to do something that Stiles had to cover her mouth before she could blurt out, we all knew what that meant, and the puppy pack- I kind of like that name for them, Theo, Corey, Liam and Mason were going to hang out at Mason's house by the pool.
Allison and I lounged on the couch watching tv, not cooking shows thank God. I don't mind watching a few with her but I didn't want to spend all day binging them like she, Lydia, Malia and Theo would. Really, neither of us were paying attention to what was on the screen just enjoying a quiet moment together while her dad wasn't home.
This would usually be about the time that one of us would suggest sex and God knows I want it. But honestly just being with her like this, just lying here together, was just as satisfying for me. I just loved holding her.
"I could so fall asleep right now." She said, snuggling in closer.
"I know what you mean. After eating a meal like that a nap sounds so appealing right now."
"It really does. But I don't think we have a lot of time before either my dad comes back or Scott comes to pick you up."
"Very true. I'm betting on the latter. For some reason whenever they go riding together they get worked up."
"Oh, I know the reason. But I'm not saying." She snickered. I rolled my eyes.
"I'm sure I don't want to know anyway." I chuckled. She nodded and started to fidget from her position. I squeezed her tighter. "What's up? you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." She said hesitantly. "I know you have been pretty much concentrating on me this past month but how are you doing?" she asked, big brown eyes with long lashes looking up at me.
"What do you mean? I'm fine." I told her, frowning.
"I mean with everything. Kate, what happened, your mom. How are you really doing?" she asked.
"Ah, well li-."
"Don't say you're fine because I know you and I know you are not fine, not completely. Talk to me. Please. You have been there for me I want to be there for you."
"You are."
"Not lately, at least it hasn't felt like it. I have been in my own head so much lately that I feel like I have been neglecting you and what you are going through." She explained looking guilty.
"You haven't been, I promise. Just because I have been mostly focused on you doesn't mean you haven't been there for me when I need you. Trust me, I know what neglect feels like, this isn't it."
"I know. But… just talk to me. Like we use to, before… What's been going on?" she asked placing a kiss on my chin, the only part she could reach. I smiled humming in acknowledgement and getting my thoughts together.
"Well, firstly I am so very glad that you are doing better. I don't mind, even a little bit, being there for you but it's such a relief to see you smiling more." Just to prove my point, my heart skip when her full out, 100 watt smile including deep dimples turned to me. "I'm… doing okay really. I mean yeah I still think about what happened and how I could have prevented it from happening. I think that if I had just taken the chance then you wouldn't have had to go through what you are going through."
"That's not your fault though. I don't regret at all stopping her, my only regret is that she had to die, that's it." She emphatically told me.
"I know Alli. I do. But it's just the way my mind works. Maybe it's the mating thing or maybe it's just because I love you so damn much. But I would gladly put myself in front of anything that would cause you pain or sadness."
'I know. And I love you for that." She said leaning up, I met her half way in a small kiss.
"But other than that… I talked to Melissa. I told her about my mom calling. She gave me the same advice you did. That I will eventually need to talk to her if for no other reason than to get answers and to officially close that chapter in my life. I'm not looking forward to it but I know I need to do it. So I am thinking that I would call her back next week. I would rather do this with you and Melissa there and Scott to if he can be there. I know I can't do it alone. I don't want too. Just the thought of talking to her fills me with rage and panic."
"Yeah, I get that. And I definitely want to be there. I promise to try and keep my mouth shut but I wouldn't hold my breath on that." She smirked making me laugh.
"Yeah, I definitely am not holding my breath on that. Makes me want to stock up on popcorn. Your mouth is one of the reasons I love you and no I'm not talking about something else." I told her, seeing her gear up to make a comment.
"Fine." She sighed rolling her eyes. Snickering at her I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. Maneuvering us I pulled it out and groaned at yet another call.
"Her again?" she asked, I nodded declining the call.
"Yeah, but she's waited this long, she can wait a little longer."
"Good, because…" she said pushing herself up to standing. "I'm in the mood for some poking."
Grinning I took the hand she offered me and let her pull me down the hall to her room.