#stidia

Stiles frowned. He wasn't sure himself. He was still freaked out. That was the third time he had gotten a gun pulled out on him. He was kinda getting tired of it.

"So, Ghost Riders, huh?", Sam said, trying to erase her memory from almost getting shot once more.

"Uh, yeah, Lydia said they were supposed to be a myth and now, all of a sudden, they're real.", Stiles explained.

"Sucks I can't make them vanish altogether.", Sam muttered. "I know right?", Stiles joked.

Scott walked up to them after Lacrosse practice. "Scott. Hey. Hey. It's called the Wild Hunt.", Stiles explained. "It's a myth. Only, apparently it's real. Like every other myth in this town that should just really remain a nightmare."

"The guy on the horse?", Scott asked.

"Yeah, they call them Ghost Riders.", Sam said.

Stiles glanced over, seeing a group of boys wearing their Lacrosse jerseys and heading to the field. One of them was wearing a recognizable jersey. "Hang on one second. Hey!", Stiles called out to the boy. "That's my jersey. Where'd you get that?"

"Coach gave it to me at practice.", the boy replied before following his friends to the field.

"Oh, yeah… coach was redoing positions. I forgot…", Sam grimaced.

"We had practice?", Stiles looked at Sam and Scott in disbelief. "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?"

Scott switched subjects. "Why would the Ghost Riders want to take Alex's parents?"

"Because that's what they do. They take people, okay? They run around collecting souls. And once they take you, you're gone.", Stiles explained. "But it's not just you, it's everything about you."

"Everything about Alex…", Sam muttered. She couldn't imagine being gone from everyone. Having her whole life being taken away from people's memories. Her history. It had to be hard.

"Does that mean Alex is next?" Scott asked. Stiles gave a nod.

"And once he's gone, we won't remember him…", Sam said.

With that, they headed to the only place they knew the boy would be safe.

They made it to the station, immediately running up to Deputy Clark, who let them inside.

Once they got to the cell that Alex was supposed to be in, they found it to be empty. The trio frowned and Stiles rushed to Clark. "Where's the kid? What happened to him?"

She looked at him in confusion. "What kid?"

"Alex." Stiles stated. "The kid from the car wreck? The kid whose parents went missing last night?"

"Who's Alex?"

Stiles raised his eyebrows giving her a stern look, but it didn't sway her. "Clark, listen to me. He was here, okay? You met him."

She wasn't convinced.

Sam and Scott moved up next to him. "It's already starting."

"Where's the Sheriff?" Scott asked.

"He got called out to the high school. They found a body.", Clark explained. "No one's been in lock-up all day. Check for yourself."

She handed Stiles the list.

Stiles scanned the list, not seeing the boy's name at all. "He's not on here…" He blinked in disappointment. "They took him."

Scott looked disappointed as well. "I shouldn't have left him alone."

"He knew they were coming for him.", Stiles muttered, frustrated. "What if they're coming back for everyone else who was on that road?" Scott asked which made Stiles turn to him.

"Then we already know who's next."

"That'd be Liam and Hayden.", Sam said.

The trio split up, and Stiles headed to the school.

But before Sam left the station's area, she stared at the retreating Jeep, a sense of dread prickling in the back of her mind.

What the hell was happening tonight?

She sat in her car, taking a few deep breaths before texting Scott.

You going with him? - Sam

The next text made her eyebrows furrow.

With who? - Scott

Uh, Stiles? Who else? - Sam

Sam's eyes widened at the next text before she headed off to the school.

Stiles, however, made it to the school, inspecting the scene and accidentally bumped into Mrs. Martin as he looked around.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"

"S-Sorry.", Stiles apologized.

"Slow it down."

"Sorry. Ms. Martin, sorry." He cleared his throat. "Hey, have you seen, uh, Liam and Hayden? Actually, forget that. Have you seen my dad?"

She knitted her brows together. "Who?"

"My dad. He's here because of the body?"

She shook her head, huffing and whispered. "How do you know about the body?"

"Because my dad's the Sheriff. Ms. Martin, are you okay?", Stiles asked.

Natalie glanced over, seeing the body on the gurney and nodded at Stiles. "Uh, just wait here."

She left, and he watched her in confusion before taking off and ran down the hall to look for Liam and Hayden. When he finally caught Mason, he couldn't help but feel relieved. Why was he relieved?

That meant he and the other two were okay. They weren't in any danger. "Mason, Mason, hey, where's Liam?", he asked.

"Liam?" Stiles looked down the hall that was behind Mason and seen him and Hayden. "Okay, there you go. Liam, Hayden, perfect."

Stiles rushed. "You two! You two have to listen to me right now. Alex is gone, just like his parents, okay? The Ghost Riders took him, so you guys, you can't be alone. You got to stick with Scott or with me because I can see them." The trio looked at him in confusion.

"Why the hell are you lookin' at me like that?", Stiles asked.

Hayden leaned into Liam's ear, loudly whispering. "Do we even know him?"

"I don't even know if he goes here." Liam whispered back to her before looking at Stiles.

Dread and realization loomed over Stiles as he slowly started piecing everything together. 

"Do you go to this school?", Mason asked.

"What's your name?", Liam asked.

A memory of Stiles showing Sam and Malia his picture form and how they said that it was blank even though he knows he filled it out the day before.

The next clue only confirmed it when the kid was wearing his Lacrosse jersey and how he said that Coach Finstock gave it to him during practice.

However, relief filled the Stilinski boy once more as he saw his dad, he took off running to him.

Sheriff put out his hand which made him stop in his tracks. "Son, you okay?"

Stiles took in a breath of fresh air. "Oh, thank God." He hugged his dad tightly. "Thank God."

He pulled back, calming himself down. "Okay. Everyone's forgetting.", Stiles rushed, his anxiety moving through his throat. "Everyone is forgetting everything."

"Okay, okay, slow down, slow down." Sheriff said, calmly. "We'll figure this out together."

Stiles nodded, sniffling. "Okay."

"Now, why don't you tell me your name?" The sheriff said, instantly making the boy's eyes widen.

Stiles let his father go, backing up as his heart dropped.

He walked around the man, and pulled out his phone, dialing Scott as he breathed heavily. The line rang then picked up. "Scott?", Stiles answered, shakily. 

"Hey.", Scott replied. Stiles almost let out a relief breath. 

"Scott, where are you? Where are you right now?", Stiles asked.

Scott was quiet until he replied. "Who's this?"

Stiles dropped his phone from his ear, ending up the call. His mind clicked back to him talking to Clark and her having no clue who Alex was. It all made sense now. "It's me… I'm next."

He looked around, his breaths coming out in panic.

His eyes widened and he jumped as his eyes landed on his phone that vibrated on the floor.

He picked up the phone, his heart ticking with hope and disappointment.

It was Sam. Did… did she remember him? Her, at least. Please…

He picked up by the third ring and his heart settled as he heard an "Oh, thank God."

"Sam…?", Stiles replied.

"Hey, you okay? I have no idea what the hell is happening. Scott… Scott says he doesn't know you. Why is he forgetting you? I thought it was Liam and Hayden that were supposed to be next.", Sam rushed.

Stiles couldn't even respond. He thought so too.

"Forget that. You're still at the school right?", she asked. He cleared his throat. "Y-Yeah."

"Alright. I'm coming to you then.", she said. "D-Don't hang up!", Stiles exclaimed fearfully before quieting down. "Please…", he begged softly.

"I won't. I'm on my way. Not too far now.", Sam promised.

Sam arrived at the school, instantly parking and running inside past people to get to a distraught Stiles. She brought him into a tight hug and he reciprocated just as tight.

"You know me. You still know me…", Stiles mumbled in the hold.

She pulled him into an empty classroom and they sat against the wall.

Sam showed Stiles the text Scott sent her.

Who the hell's Stiles? - Scott

Stiles' mouth opened and closed like a codfish. He gave her phone back, taking in his fate. They were sitting in silence but he only had so little time.

"I'm gonna be erased. Just like Alex. You're gonna forget me."

He looked at Sam, who's eyes bubbled with tears at the thought.

She shook her head. "I'm not." Stiles wished that was the case. He hoped. "You are.", he said. Sam looked at him angrily. "I'm not.", she determined sternly. She wasn't angry at him. He knew that.

She was angry because she knew where this was going. She was angry because she was scared.

The angered expression washed away with a sob. "I don't want to. I can't–" Her breaths picked up. "I don't wanna be alone."

He smiled tearfully. "You're not gonna be alone, though."

"Stiles, you don't understand.", she sniffled. "I'm going to forget everything. You, Scott, Lydia, everyone.", she emphasized.

His eyes widened in realization. Lydia…

A shaky sob exited her throat. "I only met everyone because I knew you. Me and Scott won't know each other. I can't go through that again. I don't want that–!", she exclaimed and he quickly brought her in another tight hug.

He hadn't thought about it like that. He was leaving her alone. By having him in her memories, he was erasing everyone else as well.

It was fucked up.

"No matter what, you try to remember. Just try to find some way to remember me, okay?", he muttered.

Like a little kid, Sam sobbed in his arms and Stiles could only swallow his own tears back. "You'll remember me. You will.", Stiles determined before giving her a fierce kiss on her forehead as he rocked her. "I love you, kid. I'll come back. Just remember me."

"Stiles, no-!", Sam cried as he started to move away from her. His time was running out. The person he truly loved was gonna forget him and he didn't want that.

Not without saying what he needed to at least.

He pulled away from her, prying her curled fingers from his jacket, his heart breaking from her cries and pathetic pleas to stay.

She was going to forget him. She wouldn't remember all this crying anyways. 

He let her go as he ran off to find Lydia.

Sam clutched at her jacket letting out sniffles and shaky breaths as she watched him leave. Within minutes, the wind outside picked up as a storm started.

After it stopped, she got up, ran out of the school, and into the parking lot where she saw a distraught, and tearful Lydia.

No Stiles.

Lydia caught Sam and she let out a sob of her own. Sam didn't have to say anything. Neither did Lydia.

She walked up to the girl and brought her in a hug as they cried together.

After a moment, Sam let Lydia go after her mom and Sam rushed home, making sure to write Stiles name on everything she could think of.

She wrote it in her notebooks, on the fridge dry-erase board, with a marker on her mirror, on every single piece of paper she could find.

She behaved like a girl obsessed with her crush, making sure his name was embedded in her memories.

She finally settled on the floor of her bedroom, looking over the pictures the trio took and her bottom lip trembled as she saw every goofy picture.

Why wasn't there a thing she could do to stop this? Why him?

Her thumb hovered over his contact name and pressed it to see his familiar smile.

His picture seemed to be fading away. In fact… his whole contact seemed to be disappearing. Why…?

She, once again, for the last time of the night, cried herself to sleep.

Once she woke up, a booming headache pounded through her head as she got ready for school.

Instead of driving immediately after she had gotten ready, she sat in her car, instantly confused.

She didn't even know why she was confused. Nothing made sense.

Was she missing a certain day and she couldn't remember the event? Was she supposed to study for something and she couldn't remember what it was?

The confusion irritated her as she started up her car and drove to school.

Once she arrived and parked, she stepped up to the entrance, instantly feeling the same confusion once more.

But the confusion felt like nostalgia and she didn't know why.

What annoyed her more was the loudness of everything. Slamming lockers, popping gum, sneakers squeaking against the tile floors. Everything.

Was everything always this loud?

It was making her headache worse.

"Hey, you alright?", a boy came up to her. He was about the same height as her and had his friends following behind him.

She looked at him in confusion. Why was he talking to her?

He smiled, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry, I assumed you were new. I'm Liam.", he introduced and introduced his friends. "This is Hayden and Mason."

The other two waved. "I'm… no, I'm not new. I'm just having an off day.", Sam explained but gave them a small smile anyways. "I'm Sam.", she introduced and followed them as they talked.

She learned that they were juniors. Liam was on the lacrosse team and was pretty good at it. Hayden was on the soccer team and Mason cheered for both on the sidelines.

The trio reminded her of…

Of… 

She frowned.

Why did she keep getting feelings of nostalgia when she didn't have anyone to feel nostalgic over…?

The day ended with Sam staying after school in the library. She felt calmer as she studied since she didn't have anything else to do.

It was quiet at home, but not good quiet.

Eventually she did have to go home and headed out of the library. Once she did, she heard clopping.

A familiar sound.

Why was it a familiar sound?

She turned around in shock as she saw a man that held a whip. She stepped back, and felt someone grab her, pulling her away from the man as they ran down a hall and into a closet.

She recognized the person that pulled her away as Mason and another unfamiliar kid who turned the two invisible as the previous man they saw walked around.

Sam trembled in fright. It was creepy. It was weird. But why the hell did they turn invisible? How'd they know who that was? Who was that man? Why'd he have a whip?

What was he planning to do?

Once it was okay, the boy made them visible once more, him and Mason instantly kneeling in concern once Sam stumbled back, her panicked pants more audible.

Mason touched her shoulder. "Sam! Sam, you okay?"

"She doesn't look good.", the boy next to him said. "I think she needs to get to the hospital."

"Maybe she should go home instead, Corey.", Mason suggested. "You wanna go home?"

Sam slowly shook her head as her vision blurred.

Was she… was she about to pass out?

"I.. I want," she mumbled "I want.."

"Want?" Corey's head tilted. "What do you want?" Sam muttered quietly and Corey leaned in close, listening to her clearer. "Is she… Is she saying 'miles'?"

Mason listened in. "No, there's another S in it. Maybe, smiles. I dunno." Mason gave her a weak smile, "Sam, do you want smiles?"

"St…", she huffed out a small breath, her eyes fluttering close. "St…"

She didn't say anything more before passing out. Mason and Corey panicked, and called Scott.

Scott got Liam and helped Sam into Liam's car, having them drive to Scott's place.

"She saw…"

"A man that kinda looked like a creepy cowboy and then she passed out. I couldn't just leave her there.", Mason explained.

Scott couldn't get mad. He probably wouldn't have either. He looked at the resting girl.

She looked… familiar…

He couldn't understand why.

For now, he let the girl rest. He'd handle the questions after he got some sleep.

After a couple of hours, Sam opened her eyes to darkness. She felt a familiar terror of this sudden darkness. Where was she?

She jumped in fright as she heard a loud blaring of a train horn. She spun around trying to figure out where it was coming from.

After she heard the train once more, she woke up abruptly, sitting up quickly.

Her eyes squinted as she saw the sun outside a window. A window she… couldn't recognize.

She looked around and she was in an unfamiliar… room… 

Where was she?

She looked to her left and saw a boy on the floor. She's seen him before. He hung around that ditzy Lydia Martin.

Why was she here? She remembered being at school. She remembered… hiding. Hiding from a man.

What the hell was happening…?

Scott opened his eyes and saw that Sam was looking around and sat up instantly. Sam jumped at his abrupt actions and frowned, suddenly feeling angry. "Why am I here…?"

Scott held out a hand. "Before you ask any questions, no I did not kidnap you and you're at my house. You're safe.", he reassured.

That only answered other questions she had, but it didn't answer why.

He picked up and showed her a picture. "Do you remember this?", he asked. She saw a picture of him, Lydia Martin and another girl sitting next to her.

They all had big smiles on their face and Sam held two bunny ears above Scott's head and another that seemed to be above someone else's head, but they weren't there.

Why not?

She looked at him in confusion. "I don't… I don't remember…", Sam muttered. She tried her best to remember.

Why couldn't she?

What was happening…?

"We're placed weirdly, right? Like there's supposed to be someone sitting right there.", he pointed at the vacant spot beside him in the picture.

Sam nodded in agreement. "There's no way I wouldn't have forgotten that I took a picture with you. But I don't know you, so… I don't know.", Scott said. He was just at a loss for words as Sam was. But they both knew.

Something was up.

There was another thing that was bothering Scott though… she smelled like a werewolf. It wasn't Liam's scent, so it couldn't be him.

He sighed and asked the question anyways. "Are you… could you… is there a way you could be… possibly… a werewolf…?", he asked.

The look on Sam's face told him everything he needed to know. She was confused as hell, and even more so, annoyed.

But she smelled familiar. Just like a werewolf.

He held his hands out. "Just, hear me out, okay? Have you been hearing things more than usual? Hearing things you shouldn't? Smelling things more potently?"

Now that Sam thought about it, her hearing was more enhanced. She could hear his heartbeat going a mile a minute.

She nodded. "But it's just my hearing, though."

Scott smiled in relief. "That's all I needed to know. You're definitely a werewolf."

"But how? Don't you need to be bitten to be one?", Sam asked. Scott stopped his mini celebration short. She was right.

In fact, he doesn't even remember how he was a werewolf. He just knows about him, Liam, Corey, Malia and Lydia.

"You're right.", Scott said. Sam sat up straight. "There's no way we all just have collective amnesia."

She was right about that as well. But why…?