Kansas, he hadn't been there in years, but it always felt like home when him and his parents would visit. Wide open spaces made sight-seeing a breeze, the air felt clean, and it's where the best memories of his mom resided.

It's where his parents first met, his mom was there visiting Metropolis and checking out the Daily Planet's intern program. They met by chance, Noah was delivering produce from his boss's farm to the farmer's market when this girl tripped and fell into him, sending the corn flying all over the pavement. One look into her beautiful, yet embarrassed, brown eyes and he was in love.

At least that is what his dad always tells him. He followed her to Beacon Hills where she became a journalist at the local paper, and he joined the local sheriff's department. His sister Martha would visit often, and they would go there too. That was up until his mom got sick and could no longer travel. Since then his dad has buried himself with work and Stiles with mischief.

Now that they are back, all he can feel is sadness, because it's not just a visit this time. As they get closer and closer to his Uncle Johnathan and Aunt Martha's farm, he feels his heart sinking into his stomach. He wished his dad wasn't leaving him here. Even if his dad stayed that would make him feel less a lone and empty but here, they were...less than 3 hours from arrival and 2 days from saying goodbye.

"Do you think if mom was still here, she would've wanted to move here?" Stile's murmured as he stared out the window watching the road and the fields.

His dad stayed quiet for a minute before coming out of his thoughts, "Your mom loved it out here, it helped her fulfill her yearning for adventure. She loved the farm and cooking with Martha. She loved helping with chores too." Noah paused as he reminisced, "We had talked about coming back a few times. This is where I grew up and she came to love it as well... but you had your friends, and we didn't want to pull you from that."

Stiles thought about what life could have been like living out there. How much different would things be? "Since mom died have you considered coming back?"

"Honestly, son, I have. With the crime on a constant increase back home, unsolvable cases, having to work even more from the lack of deputies...I've wondered if life would be more enjoyable out here." His dad looked over at him and smiled. "Stiles, it hurts me more than anything knowing that you'll be hundreds of miles away but I know that you being out here and living on the farm will be much safer and give you the chance to focus on school. You're a smart boy and I'm proud of you. I just want to see you succeed." Noah's voice was weak, as if he were fighting back tears, but none slipped.

"I know you mean well, Dad. I still think that it's the wrong decision though." Stiles smirked. "Can we at least call each other every day? And maybe Skype once a week?"

Noah smiled, "You better call me every day!" He exclaimed as he looked over at his son. "I'm going to try to come visit as much as possible and buy you tickets to fly home to see me and your friends as often as I can. I'm going to miss having you around, kid."

A sigh slipped out of Stiles. "I'm going to miss eavesdropping on your phone calls, being kicked out of the station, arguing with coach. They don't even have lacrosse here! Basketball isn't my thing and football...I'd rather not."

"You're way too skinny for football. Especially for these corn-fed boys...they'd snap you like a toothpick." Noah chuckled as Stiles' mouth fell open.

"Thanks for the confidence boost, Dad. I appreciate it." Stiles scoffed.

"I'm teasing you, kid, slightly. Seriously though, they have the Torch. Martha said that you would probably love working in there with Clark and his friend Chloe."

"...the torch?"

"Yeah, it's the school paper. Martha said a lot of the editors there and journalists have gotten jobs at the daily planet during the summer. With the way you like to butt into places you don't belong... it'd suit you." Noah was looking out his window as he talked.

Looking over at his Dad, Stiles pondered the idea, wondering what it would be like. "Stiles Stilinski, investigative reporter." He grimaced. "Maybe as a hobby." Stiles concluded.

They continued laughing and talking while Stiles drove. They were an hour from their destination when they decided to make a pitstop to refuel, grab a snack, and switch out drivers.

Corn rows blurred in his vision and his head gently rolled to the side as he began to wake up. The last thing he remembered was eating his pizza combos and sipping on some mountain dew. The sun danced above the fields as it got closer to sinking into the crops and Stiles eyes opened wide realizing how long he must've been asleep.

"You ok?" His dad asked as he withheld a chuckle.

A left-over crumb that had been clinging to his shirt fell from its resting place when Stiles repositioned himself so he could get himself a drink. "How much farther do we have?" Droplets of water trickled down the side of his face once he pulled the bottle away to put replace the cap.

"We should be there by dark." Noah glanced over and secretly winced at the brief disappointment plastered on his son's face.

Stiles allowed a sigh to escape him. He looked out the windshield and noticed that there was nothing but fields surrounding them. "So, like ten minutes..." he trailed off as the sun has already began to disappear, "or less."

Pulling into that driveway took them both back several years. Stiles thought about how he and Clark used to run around pretending to be superheroes while their mothers made a hearty dinner inside and their dads worked together on chores. The memories faded as the jeep rolled to a stop. Martha and Johnathan made their way out to meet them, warm smiles plastered on their faces, so warm it was contagious, and Stiles felt himself smiling too.

Gentle arms wrapped around him as soon as the jeep door closed reminding him of how much he missed his mother's embrace.

"Stiles!" Martha's voice filled his ears with its calming softness encouraging a tear to swell in his eyes. "Look how tall you've gotten!"

"Did I get taller or did you get shorter?" He joked as he pulled her in for another hug his face getting buried in her red hair.

An amused sigh hit his ears as she squeezed him a little tighter. "It's so good to see you." Martha had a slight hitch in her voice, but Stiles understood.

It was hard for him to hide his emotions. Especially from her. When they would visit the farm when he was younger Martha always took time to make sure he was ok when his feelings were hurt and when his mom got sick she stepped up to the plate and made sure he always had someone to talk to. If she could have been there when she passed...she would've.

"Switch!" He heard before letting go of Martha and being pulled into strong arms. "Hey kiddo!" Johnathan beamed and Stiles let out a chuckle.

The man didn't look as if he'd aged a day, but Stiles knew that staying busy kept you young. Or at least that's what his uncle has always said.

"Hey Uncle J! Long time no see, and you don't look any different." He joked...something he did a lot when breaking the ice with someone he hadn't been around in a long time. "Still keeping up with the farm like a champ from what I can see."

Johnathan laughed, one of those genuine laughs that sounded like home, and Stiles felt himself already missing his home back in Beacon Hills. "Clark helps out a lot too...speaking of Clark...he should be back soon. He's always running off somewhere, but he makes quick trips most of the time."

Clark...he used to be close with him...but it's been a few years since they've talked. As kids they would send letters and then emails and then somewhere amongst everything that began happening communication was lost. Stiles felt a sense of relief that he wouldn't have to jump straight into awkward silence, but he still wished that he could've gotten it over with in all the greetings. "That's ok. I'm sure we will have plenty of time to catch up later." His first fake smile crept onto his face and trembled on his lips in fear his facade would been seen right through.

"In the meantime, I'll just get settled." His uncle was quick to grab his bags, Martha was eager to get him inside and a hot meal in his belly, and his dad followed ready for the good ol' farm cooking he hadn't had in forever.

Stiles couldn't blame him though because it smells delicious and he knew it was going to taste phenomenal too. Pot roast wasn't something he had often, but he could get used to eating it more if it is anywhere near as great as it smells.

Sleep was hard to find his first night in Smallville. The bed was comfy, the blankets fresh, the room cozy, but his mind couldn't seem to do anything other than wander. He thought about Scott and how much he was going to miss his best friend and of course he thought about the strawberry blonde, Lydia, that stole his heart the first time he saw her. They were only kids back then.

Isaac, Derek, even Kira crossed his mind...but when he thought of Allison is when he the night grew even darker. His heart sank and he felt heavy. So heavy that he couldn't bring himself to move and he was left with the haunting memories of the spring. Allison Argent paid with her life to save her best friend, the girl he loved, from becoming his demon doppelgänger's next victim. The scream that pierced through his skull when Lydia let out her banshee scream hasn't ever left him. In the back of his mind he can still hear it, reverberating around not allowing him to forget, unforgiving of his part in an innocent death of his friend.

Allison wasn't just his friend though. She was an important and viable part of Scott's pack. She was Scott's anchor, Lydia's protector, her father's only family, and Isaac's first love. She was someone who should have never died saving someone who is as big of a lost cause as Stiles, at least that is what he told himself, and even if it wasn't his guilt to carry he put it upon his shoulders willingly letting it drag him down.

He had talked about drowning once before. You fight it until you just can't fight it anymore. You try to take in a big breath of air, your lungs fill with water, and the pain it's unspeakable. All the fear leading up to that moment, it's the worst feeling you've ever experienced. It's the last thing you feel before sitting alone in a world of darkness; and on nights like this one the chilling depths haunt you.