#odeya

“I don't know.”

“Did the Alpha kill the bus driver?” Stiles asked turning his head to the left when he heard sighing from the brunette.

“I don't know.” Scott said, shoulders rising up, Stiles leaned back in his seat upset.

“Does Allison's dad know about the Alpha?” Stiles asked a last time leaning forward to be closer to the McCall boy.

“I don't know!”  Scott said loudly making a few students turn around including the only woman in the trio, Stiles looking at her innocently as she just glared at him.

The teacher passed Scott and Stiles their tests and she leaned to the side to see what grade they got.

“Jeez...” Scott sighed in disappointment making Gab grab his test to see for herself.

“Aw, Scotty you need to study more.” She said as Stiles proudly showed her his A. Scott glared at her making her frown.

“It's one test! You're gonna make it up. Do you want help studying?” Stiles suggested.

“No, I'm studying with Allison after school today.” Scott said as Gab turned around showing off her A+ to Stiles, bragging she had had a better grade than him.

“That's my boy!” Stiles said almost proudly.

“We're just studying.” Scott said his face turning to the side.

“Uh, no, you're not.” Stiles scoffed.

“No, I'm not?”

“Not if I'm forced to live vicariously through you! If you go to her house today and squander that colossal opportunity, I swear to God, I'll have you de-balled.” Stiles rambled exasperated as Ella mouthed “pig” to him.

“Okay. Just... stop with the questions, man.”

“Done. No more questions. No more talk about the Alpha, or Derek... especially Derek... who still scares me...” He rambled on making the two others laugh.

*******************

At the end of the day, Gab left her boys to go to the bathroom and go get her jacket since she started feeling cold. On her way back she crossed path with an ill-looking Derek making her stop in her tracks and walk towards him.

“Derek? Wha-what are you doing here you look sick.” She said before lifting her head up to feel his forehead. He roughly tossed her hand to the side with his right arm, making her groan in discomfort. He did not even look at her, he kept walking, well, more limping than anything. She simply turned around, lift her head high and kept walking.  A few feet down the hall he saw Jackson, head in his locker.

“Where's Scott McCall?” Derek asked while Jackson shut if locker.

“Why should I tell you?”

“Because I asked you politely, and I only do that once.”

“Hmm. Okay, tough guy. You know, how about I help you find him.” Jackson said stepping closer to the werewolf. “If you tell me what you're selling him? What is it? Is it, uh, dianabol? Hmm? HGH?”

“Steroids?”

“No, Girl Scout cookies. What the hell do you think I'm talking about?” He said looking him up and down. “Oh, and, uh, by the way, whatever it is you're out selling, I'd probably stop sampling the merchandise-- you look wrecked.”

“I'll find him myself.” Derek muttered, over the whole Jackson thing.

“No, we're not done—” Jackson said grabbing the older werewolf by his shoulder.

“UGH!” Jackson groaned in pain as Derek’s claws penetrated deep in his neck.

Derek went away quickly after that, half hiding in a hallway’s corner, senses going haywire.

Sounds of chalk hitting and scrapping against a black board, students clicking on their iPod, distant phone conversations, locker padlock, texting...

“Scott's coming over? Tonight?”

“We're just studying together.” Allison brushes it off

"Just studying" never ends with just studying” The voices in Derek’s ear starts distant but slowly clears up. “It's like getting into a hot tub-- somebody eventually cops a feel.” Lydia says as she and Allison walks up the small stairs.

“Well, so what are you saying?” Allison asks her innocence showing.

“I’m just saying, you know, make sure he covers up...” Lydia says but stops when Allison seems confused.  “Hello, Snow White! I’m talking about a condom”

“Are you kidding? After one date?”

“Don't be a total prude. Give him a little taste.”

“Well, I-I mean... how much is "a little taste?"”

“Oh, God! you really like him, don't you?”

“Well, he's just different. When I first moved here, I had a plan-- no boyfriends 'til college. I just move too much. But... then, I met him, and... he was different. I-I don't know. I can't explain it.”

“I can. It's your brain flooding with phenylethylamine.”

“What?”

“I'll tell you what to do. When's he coming over?”

“Right after school.”

“Hmm...” Lydia finishes just as the bell rings, making Derek wince.

*******************

With students rushing out of the school Gab had difficulty finding Stiles or even Scott with her short five feet three. A hand suddenly went to the small of her back and she tensed up, but relaxed when her eyes met hazel ones.

“You good?” He asks her, feeling the girl tense.

“Yeah I am. Just nervous for that job interview.”

“Oh, that’s tonight?”

“Yup, but it’ll only last for forty- five minutes to an hour tops and then I’ll join you, sounds good?” She asks as they walk to the car.

“Yeah, I can drive you if you want.”

“Oh, that would be great! If you don’t mind, of course.”

Stiles shook his head no and opened the car door for her. They pull out of the parking spot and drive for maybe six feet before Derek appears in front of them, hand raised to stop them.

“Oh my god!” Stiles says loudly as both their bodies jerk forward.

Multiple students and teachers in their cars behind them started to honk their horn, attracting the attention of Scott. He looked behind him only to see Derek wobble back and forth before falling down on the asphalt.

“Oh, no, no, no! No, not here!” Scott groans before running to the jeep.

“You've gotta be kidding me. This guy's everywhere.” Stiles says before checking behind him at the line of cars.

“Is he okay?” Gab asks as she sees Scott make his way towards them.

“What the hell? What are you doing here?” Scott asks the guy on the floor.

“I was shot.”

“He's not looking so good, dude...” Stiles says.

“Why aren't you healing?”

“I can't. It was-it was a different kind of bullet.”

“A silver bullet?” Stiles asks seriously.

“No, you idiot—"

“Wait, wait-- that's what she meant when she said you had forty-eight hours...”

“What? Who-who said forty-eight hours?”

“The one who shot you.”

“What? Scott you never said anything about that!” Gab says getting out of the car with her bag on her shoulder.

“What are you doing? Stop that!” Scott says as Derek’s eyes flashes blue.

“I'm trying to tell you-- I can't.”

“Derek, get up!” Scott says helping the older man standing up. “Help me put him in your car.” He says to Stiles, putting Derek in the passenger seat.

“Okay, M. I’m gonna walk, you have to help Scott with this. So, thank you for the offer and I’ll call you as soon as I’m done. Keep me updated okay?” Gab says leaning up to kiss the boy’s cheek and starting to jog away from them.

“I need you to find out what kind of bullet they used. Derek tells Scott.

“How the hell am I supposed to do that?” Scott asks

“'Cause she's an Argent. She's with them.”

“Why should I help you?”

“Because you need me.”

“Fine. I'll try.” Scott says walking away from the car. “Hey, get him out of here.”

“I hate you for this, so much.”

Allison walks up to her boyfriend, a surprised look on her face.

“Hey, what was he doing here?” She asks pointing to the leaving car.

“Stiles was just, um, giving him a ride. Uh, long story.”

“But I thought you said you weren't friends with him...”

“No, not really. Um, we're still studying together, right? So, I'll meet you back at your place?” Scott tries changing the subject.

“Yeah.”

“Okay, bye.”

“See you later.” Scott says before noisily kissing her cheek.

*******************

Stiles and Derek are in Stiles’ car. Sitting in silence as Derek groans in pain and Stiles checks his phone quickly.

“Hey, try not to bleed out on my seats, okay? We're almost there.”

“Almost where?”

“Your house.”

“What? No, you can't take me there.” Derek says alarmed.

“I can't take you to your own house?”

“Not when I can't protect myself!” Derek says making Stiles scoff and park the jeep.

“All right. What happens if Scott doesn't find your little magic bullet? Hmm? Are you dying?”

“Not yet. I have a last resort.”

“What do you mean? What last resort?” Stiles asks confused, but his expression changes to disgust when Derek lifts up his shirt’s sleeve. “Oh, my God. What is that? Oh, is that contagious? You know what, you should probably just get out.” Stiles says feeling the bile rise up in his throat.

“Start the car. Now.” Derek growls, jaw shut tightly.

“I don't think you should be barking orders with the way you look, okay? In fact, I think, if I wanted to, I could probably drag your little Werewolf ass out into the middle of the road and leave you for dead.”

“Start the car... or I'm gonna rip your throat out and your little girlfriend’s... with my teeth.”

Stiles bites the inside of his cheek in anger, looks outside and starts the car, with no real destination in mind.

*******************

“It's off. Sorry about that.” Scott says shutting his phone. “Who's this?” He asks picking up a picture of Allison’s father and an unknown woman.

“That's my dad's sister Kate. Except, she's more like my sister. She got here last night.”

“Uh, last night?”

“Yup. She had some car trouble, I guess...”

“She looks familiar.”

“Mmm. She actually used to live in Beacon Hills. Maybe you saw her once.”

“Did you take these?” Scott picks up a small pile of photographs.

“Back when I thought I was a photographer...”

“They're good!”

“No, they're not. I stopped when I realized I was terrible at it. Framing's off, bad lighting... Believe me-- not good.” Scott looks at her impressed and picks up a pile of paintings and aquarelles, looking at them. “That's when I thought I was good at painting. Uh, terrible, too.” He laughs softly and picks up a folder, Poetry written on it in a fancy handwriting. “That's when I tried poetry-- "terrible" doesn't even come close to describing that.”

“What are you good at?” He finally asks.

“I'm gonna show you if you promise not to laugh.” Allison says standing up and extending a hand to Scott.

They walk downstairs and Allison opens a door leading to the garage.

“So, I was nationally ranked as a kid, and my dad really wanted me to go on, but... I don't know, I just didn't really like it.” She says going through a box “Promise you won't laugh?”

“I promise.” Scott says distracted by what’s around him. He turns around and Allison points some kind of arrow and bow at him. “What the hell is that?” Scott says slightly scared for his life.

“It’s a compound bow... and I'm pretty sure it requires an arrow to be harmful.”

“So, that's what you're good at? Archery?” Scott laughs nervously.

“You said you wouldn't laugh!”

“Trust me, I'm not laughing...” He says looking behind her a seeing a wall filled with guns.

“So, I guess I should explain... We're not some sort of separatist gun-nut family. My dad sells firearms to law enforcement.”

“Oh, that's good. So, um, are you planning on joining the family business?” Scott asks anxiously.

“I don't know. You tell me-- would I look hot with a gun?” Allison asks as she pulls Scott to her, bodies pressing together.

“Hotter without.”

They started to kiss just as the front door opened, signaling the arrival of Chris and Kate Argent. Allison tugs her and Scott down to hide them behind her dad’s large car. After being caught by none other than Chris himself, the teenagers are roped into unloading the groceries out of the car. After the car has been emptied out, Scott suggest he and Allison go back to studying, which led to some misplaced comments from Kate which led to Scott being invited over for dinner. Yikes.

Like most first “parents meeting significant other” dinner, the meal is filled with Chris questioning Scott about his substance usage, Lacrosse, and many other embarrassing things for Allison. During the dinner, Scott manage to sneak off and finally calls Stiles who is still stuck with Derek, somewhere in Beacon Hills.

“What am I supposed to do with him?” Stiles asks the werewolf, sitting in his car.

“Take him somewhere. Anywhere.”

“And, by the way, he's starting to smell.” Stiles says his head turned the other way.

“Like-like what?”

“Like death.”

“Okay. Take him to the animal clinic.”

“What about your boss?”

“He's gone by now. There's a spare key in the box behind the dumpster.”

“You're not gonna believe where he's telling me to take you.” Stiles says handing the phone to Derek.

“Did you find it?”

“How am I supposed to find one bullet? They have a million! This house is like the frickin' Walmart of guns!” Scott says irritated.

“Look, if you don't find it, then I'm dead, all right?”

“I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing...”

“Then think about this-- the Alpha called you out against your will. He's gonna do it again. Next time, either you kill with him, or you get killed. So, if you wanna stay alive, then you need me. Find the bullet.” Derek says menacingly before hanging up and handing back the cellphone to Stiles.

After texting Ella their whereabouts and receiving an answer saying she’d be there in ten minutes, Stiles and Derek make their way to the animal clinic.

As Stiles open the delivery back door of the animal clinic light steps are heard being him and Derek turn around.

“Hey” Ella says as she jogs the rest of the way. “You guys okay?” She asks the werewolf and her friend.

“Yeah, just help me get him inside.” He says as they both grab under a shoulder of the wolf.

As Derek falls down on a large bag of animal food Stiles checks his phone for any update from Scott.

“Does Northern Blue Monkshood mean anything to you?”

“It's a rare form of wolfsbane. He has to bring me the bullet.” Derek says weakly.

“Why?”

“'Cause I'm gonna die without it.” He says mysteriously making Ella and Stiles frown.

Half an hour later, Scott texted he was on his way with the bullet, after being questioned by Kate like a criminal. As they walked in the observation room Derek took off his shirt like putting most of his weight on tiny Ella while Stiles opened the lights.

“Okay, you know, that really doesn't look like anything some echinacea and a good night's sleep couldn't take care of...” Stiles says gagging.

“Oh my god what is that?” Ella asked, seeing the bullet wound for the first time. “Can we like catch anything from that? Ugh oh my god.” She said almost gasping for air. “It even stinks a little” She groaned a little looking at the bullet wound, black veins were concentrated around the hole as dark blood trickled down his pale skin.

“When the infection reaches my heart, it'll kill me.”

“"Positivity" just isn't in your vocabulary, is it?” Stiles said, his breathing heavy.

“If he doesn't get here with the bullet in time-- last resort.” Derek said looking through the cupboard and drawers.

“Which is...?” Stiles asked uncertain, Ella’s eyes opening wide when she noticed the saw in Derek’s hand.

“You're gonna cut off my arm.” Derek said with absolute certainty while Stiles looked like he was about to pass out. Derek slid the saw towards him.

“Oh, my God.” Stiles said turning the saw on for a few seconds. “What if you bleed to death?” He asked while Derek wrap a rubber chord around his bicep.

“It'll heal... If it works...”

“Ugh. Look, I don't know if I can do this.” The pale freckled boy said, eyes wide with worry.

Ella was leaning her back against the wall, one foot supporting her while she nervously bit her nails.

“Why not?”

“Well, because of the cutting through the flesh, the sawing of the bone, and especially the blood!”

“You faint at the sight of blood?” Derek asked looking at the girl who simply rolled her eyes at his question.

“No, but I might at the sight of a chopped-off arm!”

“All right, fine. How about this-- either you cut off my arm, or I'm gonna cut off your head.”

“Okay, you know what? I'm so not buying your threats any—"

“I’ll do it.” Ella said, pushing herself off of the wall, walking over to the table and picking up the saw. Her eyes never leaving the bullet wound.

“What?” He stared at her as if another head had grown.

“What are you doing?” Ella asked as Derek leaned over the table and threw up some sort of black blood.

“Holy God, what the hell is that?” Stiles asked gagging.

“It’s my body... trying to heal itself...”

“Well, it's not doing a very good job of it.”

“Now. You gotta do it now.” The sick werewolf looked at Ella as she gulped picking up the saw.

“Look, honestly, I don't think I can—” He said turning around.

“Just do it!” Derek said firmly looking at the girl who had paled.

“Oh, my God. Okay, okay...” Stiles gasped as he heard the sound of the saw.

“STILES!” Scott called through the clinic.

All three released a breath none of them knew they were holding, Ella dropping the saw on the table with shaky hands.

“Scott?” Stiles said relieved.

“What the hell are you doing?” He asked looking at his two best friends.

“Oh, you just prevented a lifetime of nightmares!”  Ella said her eyes squeezed shut.

“Did you get it?” Derek asked eagerly as Scott reached in his pocket to grab the bullet.

“What are you gonna do with it?” Stiles asked as Derek gripped it tightly.

“I'm gonna...” Derek said weakly. “gonna...” He mumbled before passing out and falling on the floor, the bullet escaping his hand and falling in a vent on the floor. Ella immediately going to his side to make sure he was still breathing.

“No! No, no, no, no...” Scott repeated as he went after it.

“Derek! Derek, come on, wake up!” Ella said, gently slapping his face so he could wake up.

“Scott, what the hell are we gonna do?” Stiles asked on the other side of Derek’s body.

“I don't know! I can't reach it!” Scott groaned, his hand trying to get further down the vent.

“He's not waking up...” Stiles mumbled looking at the girl in front of him, Ella had pressed her ear to his chest to see if his heart was still beating.

“Come on...” Scott groaned still trying to get the small object.

“I think he's dying... I think he's dead!” Stiles said upset.

“Just hold on! Come on...” Scott said to no one in particular. “Oh! I got it! I got it!” Scott said in relief.

“Please don't kill me for this.” Stiles said quietly as he swung at Derek, hitting him in the face.  “Ugh! Ow! God!” Stiles said seconds after as he brought his hand back and shook it in pain. Ella running to get ice as Stiles and Scott helped him to his feet.

“Give me—” Derek mumbled weakly, making grabby hands at the beta.

“Ow! God!” Stiles said shaking his hand in pain. Ella came back holding an ice pack in her hand and taking Stiles’ to put it over his knuckles.

Derek kind of uncapped the bullet getting the gun powder on the table making Gab frown and lighting it making it sizzle before he put it in his hand and slapped it over the wound sticking his finger in to get it all in. Derek started to scream and groan as he fell to the floor, roaring loudly, eyes flashing blue as his body contorted in pain. The veins, blood and ickyness disappear as if by magic, Derek stood up and unwrapped his arm.

“That. Was. Awesome!!! Yes!!!” He said looking at the three other people in the room, hand raised for a high five only to be ignored by the girl.

“Are you okay?”

“Well, except for the agonizing pain...”

“I'm guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health...” Stiles said.

“You’d know huh.” The girl looked at him and smiled.

“Okay, we saved your life, which means you're gonna leave us alone. You got that? And, if you don't, I'm gonna go back to Allison's dad, and I'm gonna tell him everything—”

“You're gonna trust them? You think they can help you?” Derek asked appalled.

“Well, why not? They're a lot freaking nicer than you are.”

“I can show you exactly how nice they are.”

“What do you mean?” Scott said before Derek dragged him outside and the duo heard wheels on the pavement.

“Ok, so they just left?” The girl asked Stiles turning around towards the door.

Gabriella just sighed before picking up the saw and placing it back in the drawer and throwing the rubber band Derek used, to cut off his blood circulation off, in the trash.

“Deaton would be real freaking weirded out if stuff appeared on the table during the night.” She laughed, she walked to Stiles, his breath slightly hitching before she took his hand and tugged him towards the exit. She shut the lights and locked back the back door before they walked to the car.

“Wanna go to my house?” She asked the boy, Stiles was surprised, the last time he or Scott went to her house it was the summer between fifth grade and sixth grade.

“Uh, sure.” He stuttered as they got in the Jeep and Stiles started up the old car.

*******************

As they turned on her street and passed Scott’s dad old house, Gabriella started to feel anxious, something Stiles noticed immediately being familiar with the feeling. His hand went over the console and he gently picked up her hand, holding it softly. Even if it had been a few years since he had been there, Stiles remembered the way, he remembered the large balcony attached to the girl’s bedroom, he remembered the large tree that used to hold the tree house her father had built oh so many years ago that had been taken down two years ago.

“Okay, so my mom’s not home. She-She had to leave for work again ...” Ella said turning to look at Stiles.

“Ella, if you don’t feel comfortable with me being here, we can go back to my house.”

“No, it’s fine. Pretty sure your dad will get sick of me anyway.” She laughed quietly.

“That’s never gonna happen” He said as they walked up the stairs to her front door. The black door facing them soon enough and she got out a key, unlocking the door and pushing it open. She stepped in and grabbed Stiles’ hand.

Stiles looked around and noticed that nothing had changed. The same pictures of Ella and her brother were on the wall, in the same order. They walked past the living room where Stiles noticed a bigger tv than the large and heavy they had before. They arrived at the back of the house, where the kitchen was. Gab switched on the lights and walked to the fridge.

“Did you have dinner while waiting for Scott?” She asked him, opening the fridge’s door while he stayed at the kitchen’s doorstep.

“No.” He mumbled; his eyes trained on the small girl.

“Well, would you like food? Something that’s homemade and not take out? I love your dad, but you guys are harming yourself eating so much pizza.”

“That sounds good” He smiled at her, a small laugh leaving his lips as she looked through the fridge, getting out a large Tupperware.

“You are going to be soooo happy.” She said smiling as they walked to the kitchen island.

“What?” He said as she opened the plastic tub. “Oh my god, your mom made lasagna.” He almost salivated at the thought of his favorite pasta dish.

She smiled and cut out a big piece before heating up in the microwave.

“Can you get the forks?” She asked him as she got them glasses of water and paper towels.

Stiles nodded, standing up and walking to the drawer, pulling out two forks. Hearing the warning signal from the microwave, he turned around happily and walked to the bar stools.

“Cheers” She said happily as they tapped their forks together and dug in the plate filled with lasagna.

“Oh, my fuck, that’s good.” He moaned rubbing his stomach enthusiastically.  

After they finished eating, putting the dishes away they walked to her room. She opened the door to the white room, walls, bed sheets, comforter, carpet. Everything was white, and what wasn’t made with the pale tone was either made of light wood or a soft blue.

“You changed it.” He said stepping in, everything was placed neatly expect for her bed that was messy, covers kicked at the foot of the bed from where she had woken up late that morning.

“Yeah, bright pink and soft green isn’t really the best color combo” She laughed as she took off her jean jacket and put it over her computer chair. Stiles’ eyes caught the sight of a large bulletin board where pictures were hung, some with Ella and the two boys, others with her family members, one catching Stiles’ attention was one where Ella was around 5 or 6 and she sat on her house’s front porch hugging tightly a little girl with bright red hair.

“Who’s that?” He asked, already having a clear idea.

“Oh, that’s me and Lyds when we were 5. It was my birthday actually. We celebrated our birthdays together and it was themed” Ella snickered turning it around.

Ariel & Belle

The names were written in a clean handwriting.

“We used to be so close” She said pining it back to the board.

“Oh my god look at that.” He said pointing to a young Gabriella and Stiles. She stepped in front of him, his front pressed again her back, making him suck in a breath.

“Aw, look at us, M.” She said, voice quiet and sweet.

She turned it around, her mother had the habit to writing on the back on every single picture she took, “That way you know who you’re looking at when you’re seventy and don’t have all of your head” her mother had told her many years ago.

Gabriella & her “date”, Stiles.

“Oh my god, that’s right it was like for a special event...” She trailed off trying to remember the event. She turned around quickly, making them have their fronts pressed together, Stiles sucked in a deep breath.

“Ye- yeah. I think it was like for end of school graduation”

“Yeah! Class of Ms. Rhodes.”

He nodded as she laughed at the memory. She put it back before walking away, sitting at the end of her bed.

“Stiles?” She called out to him, making him turn around with a frown.

“Yeah?” He turned around seeing the small girl already looking up at him.

“D- do you miss her?” She asked suddenly, Stiles’ heart started to tighten, he started to feel his eyes get heavy and he sniffled.

“Yeah, always.” He muttered coming to sit next to her, their arms touching.

“And how do you live with that?” She asked him, her head going to rest on his shoulder as he reached to hold her hand.

“I think I always have her at the back of my mind, but I have you guys to distract me and I think with time, the pain kind of lessen, but it still stings when I think about her, y’know.”

“I do.” She said interlacing their fingers. “I miss her too, honestly.”

“I’m sure they’re hanging out together.”

“You think my dad and your mother are hanging out?” She asked surprised, her head lifting off his shoulder as she looked at him.

“I mean sure. They were friends before, so.” He shrugged making her laugh.

“Yep, Claudia and Clyde.” She said smacking her lips together” High School sweethearts. You know Mr. Booth, the history teacher?” She asked, he nodded, and she continued her story. “Well the other day he stopped me in the hallway, he wanted me to say hi to my dad for him. Poor man almost had a heart attack when I told him he died. He said that at least him and Claudia could finally be together. He taught them.” She said, a sniffle breaking through the small silence and she looked at him to see his eyes filled with tears.

She turned around, never releasing his grip on her hand and she hugged him tightly. After a few seconds, they pulled apart and she pressed a long kiss on his cheek before tugging him up her bed so that they could watch a movie comfortably. Ella putting TEEN WOLF with Michael J. Fox. Seeing the debut credits, Stiles looked at her, not one smile on his face.

“Ha.ha very funny.” He said in a monotone voice which made her laugh, he couldn’t help but laugh too.

Happy to see him happy, Ella stared at him as his laughter calmed down.

“Ok, let’s go” She said laying down underneath the covers.

********************