After Stiles reassured him that he was alright, Noah decided to clock out early and get his little delinquent home to rest his leg. That honestly took a bit more fight than Noah was expecting. Stiles was adamant that his leg was just sprained and his dad was needed at the station.
"Don't you need to be here, you know when the M.E. finishes his report?"
Stiles protested but Noah was already getting his stuff together.
"I'll be on-call Stiles but I do need a break. Besides, didn't you just say you'd still be at the game tonight to watch?"
"Well yeah but dad, I'm still not playing."
"I know son." Noah said, "But I don't go to those games because you play, I go because it matters to you and I want to be a part of it."
Unable to deny his father this, Stiles remained on the small couch in his dad's office his injured foot elevated on the arm of the couch with an ice pack covering it. Looking at his foot, he vaguely wondered what kind of damage he's done to his foot by fracturing it and refusing to let it heal.
"Good, wait here for a few minutes, I just have to check on a few things before we leave."
"Got it dad." Stiles replied.
Hesitating by the door, Noah looked at Stiles' foot and wondered if it would stop Stiles from looking through his desk (something he's done plenty of times before, even when he was too small to see above his old desk when he was still a deputy). Not trusting that it wouldn't, Noah went back to his desk and locked all the drawers.
"Stay on that couch, please."
"I will."
Stiles sighed when Noah left. His dad might have been worried but Stiles honestly had no intention of snooping around his desk. With everything going on in his life right now, he just didn't have enough brain cells left to play detective with his dad's cases. Not when he already knew the culprit to his biggest case.
More than that, he wanted to sleep.
For days now, sleep has been the last thing on his mind. He didn't need caffeine or Adderall anymore but the adrenaline in his veins and the fear that was left over from that nightmare of the burning house and murderous hunters shooting him full of arrows, were more than enough to keep him up. He'd spend part of the night on his computer adding to his crime board, and the other half sitting on his windowsill and just staring at the moon.
He was drawn to it, like it held everything good and perfect and wonderful, the answer to all his problems. And yet, he resented it as well for its part in the curse he had to suffer through.
But right now, with the game a non-issue and Derek and Laura's freedom from police custody all but assured, and secure in the fact that he was in a police station with an experienced werewolf a few feet away, Stiles drifted to sleep.
OoOoO
Letting his deputies know about his plan to go home was only part of the reason Noah didn't take Stiles home immediately. After finding and speaking with Deputy Matthers to call him immediately of any new updates regarding the Hale case and/or Dooley's investigation, Noah headed straight for the gun range at the back.
There, he found just the deputy he was looking for emptying a nine millimeter at the long abused wooden target 10 meters away. He waited until she finished and her gun safely cleared on the table before he made his presence known.
"Sheriff." She greeted.
Noah smiled at the young woman. Tara Chadwick was one of his most trusted deputies. She hasn't been on the job as long as some of the other deputies, but Noah trusted her. He was her training officer when she first got hired and they quickly formed a familial bond that spread to their families. Stiles saw Tara as an older sister and Noah knew that Tara felt a similar sibling bond with his son.
"Deputy Chadwick, good shoot?"
She shrugged, "I didn't use ear plugs so my first couple of shots were a bit off, other than that, I think I did pretty good."
Noah looked at the target, impressed at how precise her shots were.
"You're getting better."
She beamed, "Thanks Sheriff."
Now that he had her attention, he told her about Stiles' leg and him missing his first game on first line.
"Is he okay?" She asked, concerned.
"His leg's fine but I think missing the game's really gotten to him. I don't think he's even snooping around my office."
Now Tara was even more concerned. Everyone who knew Stiles knew he considered himself a Junior Detective of the Sheriff's Department. He even made himself a fake badge with the exact title when he was seven years old. It still amused Tara that when she first got assigned to shadow Stilinski when he was still a deputy, nearly half the department warned her about Stiles. The other deputies were all clearly fond of the boy who practically grew up there but they were all well aware of his penchant for grabbing the nearest folder and/or evidence bag. They didn't really mind at first, he was five years old, he never got his hands on anything confidential or gruesome. Mostly, he just liked to practice his reading skills, something that nearly all the deputies supported and helped him with. Then young six-year-old Stiles (somehow) got a hold of some gruesome crime scene photos and an angry Claudia Stilinski ensured every desk in the department was locked and every computer password protected.
Thinking of Stiles actively not snooping around was almost as unnatural as heavy metal being considered music. Fortunately, Tara had an idea that could hopefully cheer up her pseudo brother.
"Will he still be at the game tonight?" She asked.
Noah nodded, "His coach insisted that he stay to study the other team. Not sure what that will do for his morale but he's determined to go."
"Good, he should go." Tara said, "The twins have something planned that should lift his spirits. They've been working on it ever since I told them they finally get to see Stiles play lacrosse with the rest of the team. I swear, they're more excited than he is."
"But Stiles isn't playing."
Tara shrugged, "Then he'll be the most supported benchwarmer in history."
At that, Noah couldn't help but smile.
Tara thinking that the Sheriff has said all he needed to say, turned to leave. There was some paperwork she still needed to finish if she wanted to get home with plenty of time to change before the game.
"Tara, hold on." Noah called and she stopped and looked back at him. He waited until she was close and away from the door, "Before you go, there's something else I need you to do."
"What is it?"
He looked around, handed her a piece of paper, and whispered. "I need you to look into this for me. But do it quietly, I'd rather not have people finding out about this until I get all the facts."
Tara looked at the paper in her hand, it was a file number. She had no idea what it meant or why it was important, but she trusted Sheriff Stilinski.
"You can trust me Sheriff."
OoOoO
Parenthood is one of the most rewarding, challenging jobs that a person could get. You have to nurture your child, share in their joys, soothe their aches, and scare away the boogeyman that scares them, all while working for a living to make sure you keep a roof over your head.
It gets even harder when you're suddenly left to be a single parent to a once-excitable little boy now on the verge of depression. It was difficult and so many times while his son slept, Noah found himself (to his eternal shame) with a drink in his hand, tears in his eyes, and just murmuring apologies to Claudia for failing their son.
Things changed again when Rafael McCall left and Melissa joined the single parents club. However, instead of continuing to wallow in their broken hearts, Noah and Melissa chose to parent the boys together. They arranged their shifts at work so that one of them would always be available to take care of the boys' needs and their work would never suffer. Every night was practically sleepover at the other's house for the boys but they didn't mind.
Even as the boys grew older and needed a lot less constant parenting, they kept up the routine as much as they could. Which was how Noah knew that Melissa would be free to check on Stiles' leg outside of the hospital, all he had to do was text Melissa about Stiles' leg and she was already waiting for them at their house.
Stiles saw her car in the driveway and groaned. "Dad, you called Melissa?"
Noah shut the engine off and turned to his son, "You talked me into not taking you the E.R. but you are getting that leg checked out one way or the other. It's either Melissa or the hospital. Your choice."
He racked his brain to think of a way to get out of this but one look at his dad's face and he knew he had no choice. He followed his dad out the car and into the house.
"Fine." He grumbled, "But I still say it's completely unnecessary."
Melissa was already waiting for them in the living room, her med kit beside her, and that look on her face. The same look she had on when he and Scott first told her they wanted to join the lacrosse team. And it still had the same effect on him as it did five years ago.
"You," She pointed at Noah, "Shower and nap. You look like you pulled another all-nighter."
He did so without complaint and the moment he was out of sight, Melissa turned to Stiles.
"Sit." She said, pointing at the couch.
Stiles huffed but didn't say anything, he just sat himself on the couch, took off his shoes, and dutifully gave his leg to Melissa. She felt around the tender flesh, carefully twisting and turning to assess the damage.
"You know, I still think you guys are overreacting. It's just a little sprain."
"Nice try Stiles," Said Melissa, "But I am looking at your foot and…"
She stopped midsentence. Her brows furrowing in confusion as she looked closer at his leg.
The more she looked at it, the more nervous Stiles got. What did she see? Did his leg heal completely in the last hour? Was his leg completely wrecked now after all the breaking and not healing thing?
His heart hammered away within his chest so much he was scared his heart would pop out with each beat when Melissa set his foot down and looked at him.
He winced and made a show of feeling for his suddenly super painful leg. He grunted and started breathing heavily, really laying it on thick. He wasn't Leonardo Di Caprio, but that performance was good, right?
Melissa rolled her eyes, "Stiles your leg's not broken. It's barely even sprained."
The boy sputtered as he tried to defend himself.
"Stiles?" Melissa said interrupting Stiles' (apparently) ineffective defense. "You can drop the act. I think I know what's going on here."
Stiles gulped, there was no way Melissa could figure out he was a werewolf, right? It was one fast healing leg, no one… no one would immediately connect that with werewolves, right?
Heart still beating madly, Stiles kept his eyes shut as he tried once more to claim innocence. If his secret really had been blown, he couldn't… he couldn't bear to look at Melissa and look at him with disgust or fear. He couldn't do it, she was as good as his second mother, the one who made his favorite macaroni and cheese when he was down. If she saw him as a monster…
"Stiles."
Her soft, motherly voice pulled him out of his musings and he opened his eyes to find Melissa giving her a stern but soft look.
"It's okay to feel anxious and scared. Everyone feels it, and I know this game is more important for you than it is to some other people. But sabotaging yourself because you're afraid to try isn't going to solve your problem. It will still be right there and you won't be anymore prepared to face it than you were before."
Stiles frowned, confused. What was Melissa talking about? Sabotage, the game…
Oh
She thought that…
"You think that I pretended to break my leg to get out of playing tonight?"
"I'm not saying you planned the whole thing." She said, "But I do think you may have exaggerated how much your leg hurt afterwards."
It certainly wasn't what Stiles was expecting, especially since it wasn't far off from what actually happened.
"I guess you'll be telling my dad?"
He deflated realizing that he would probably have to play the game after all. He jinxed it. He totally jinxed it by relaxing and now he would have to play and risk the lives of everyone at the game.
"No." Said Melissa, "But only because your leg really is twisted. And because I want something from you."
"What?"
"I want you to seriously consider whether or not you'll be playing tonight. I know you're scared, but isn't this what you've always wanted since you boys saw your first lacrosse game? To play side by side? I don't ever want you to start thinking that being afraid is justifiable reason to stop pursuing your dreams."
Stiles looked away, he wanted to pretend he couldn't hear all the things Melissa was saying actually. Because no matter how sure he was that sitting out the game was the right choice, he still wanted to play. He flashed back to Scott's little speech the night they went looking for the dead body – God that felts like such a long time ago – he dismissed and internally laughed at Scott's predictable wish but it was Stiles' high school dream too. To be the star lacrosse player, impress his dad, impress Lydia, play with his best friend.
So, he looked away, because he still wanted that and what if he's not strong enough to stay away? What if he breaks and all hell breaks loose? What if he hurts people?
"Now, I won't tell you what to do." Melissa continued, "Because whatever happens has to be your decision. But please, think about it, that's all I ask."
At that moment, Stiles wanted so badly to tell Melissa everything. She was his mom too. The one who helped him keep Claudia's memories alive, the one who loved him even when he shouted the worst things at her, the one who was always there for him. She could tell him what to do and help him stay on the right path.
She'd tell him he was doing the right thing and to stay strong because everything would be okay.
She wouldn't… she wouldn't get scared of him. She wouldn't run away from him, right?
The thought, just the thought of Melissa McCall looking at him and seeing a monster was all the deterrent Stiles needed to keep his secret. If losing Scott hurt like a missing limb, losing another mother would feel like losing his soul.
"I'll think about it." He said, "Thank you, Melissa, for… for caring."
AN: Guys my exams are done and I swear my brain felt like mush immediately after. No idea where half the things there came from. Results come out tomorrow and guys I am freaking out! If I pass that, I have another set of exams to study for in a month. But if I fail... T_T
Anyway, back to Shifted.
You guys remember Tara, right? In Season 3A she was one of the warrior sacrifices and Stiles was really affected by her death.
And I know I'm making Stiles really angsty but it's not forever, I promise. He's just adjusting right now.