Love's Spiral

That night, Spencer couldn’t sleep. Only after the teeth pierced her skin was she thinking that she could actually die from this. She wasn’t ready to die. She still had a large portion of her life to live and there was so much that she hadn’t done. Not that Spencer really wanted to do anything too extravagant. Just the normal stuff. Graduate high school. Go to college. Or at least take classes at the community college. Normal milestone stuff.

Instead, her current to do list mainly consisted of surviving through the night.

Derek said when he’d seen a bite not take, it only took seconds before they knew they were losing the person. Derek seemed to not like mentioning it, so Spencer didn’t push who it was he was talking about.

Spencer not reacting right away didn’t stop Derek from staying at her side. If she was going to die, he was going to make sure that she wasn’t alone and that she wouldn’t be in much pain. She was surprised at how much care he was showing towards her since she’d been shot. Everything that he had said to Scott about Scott’s feelings towards Allison seemed to be what he thought about Spencer’s feelings towards him. He hadn’t clarified, even after she’d asked him in the dungeon last night after he said it. Spencer felt that if she brought it up now, he’d just get angry with her and she’d get angry at him, which, given her current status as pre-werewolf, it wouldn’t exactly be a good thing.

Spencer sighed in bed. She lifted her shirt and made sure the dressings on the bite were still clean enough. Spencer tried not to recall how awkward the moment of Derek biting at her side was. She rolled over and grabbed her phone from her nightstand, checking the time. It was still early enough that Isaac would still be at the graveyard. Since she couldn’t sleep, it was the perfect place to go.

Spencer got out of bed and threw on some warm clothes after changing the bandage on her leg. It wasn’t hurting anymore, but she still felt the need to cover it up. How would she ever explain to someone that she’d been shot, and come to find a few days later when she’s a werewolf that it’s completely healed. Spencer ran down the stairs of the Stilinski household, not stopping when she saw the sheriff sleeping at the table, paperwork surrounding him. She closed the door quietly behind her and climbed into her truck.

“I’m going to the graveyard. If you want a head start.” Spencer said, aloud, knowing Derek was somewhere around her. She put the key in the ignition and the car roared to life. She drove slowly, really in no rush to go anywhere. She just needed to get out of the house. Upon arriving to the graveyard, Spencer pulled into the spot closest to the shed where all the tools and things were kept. She jumped out of her truck and used her cell phone as a flashlight to be her guide.

“Wh-who’s there?!” Isaac called.

“Just me, Isaac.” Spencer answered back. She shined the light on herself to show him. She turned the light back to shine in front of her and headed in his direction.

Isaac turned on the light inside of the shed and stopped to stand in front of her. “You okay?” he asked. “I-I heard what happened. Y-your dad.”

Spencer nodded. “I’m okay.” Spencer said, kicking dirt with her shoes.

“D - do you need a h-hug or s-something?”

“Kinda.” Spencer looked up at him with hopeful eyes.

Isaac nodded.

Spencer moved slowly towards him. Once his skinny arms were around her, she just tightened herself around him, careful not to cling too tightly. She let out a breath, feeling the care that Isaac had for her.

“I’m sorry.” Isaac said into her hair.

Spencer pulled away, sniffling and using the sleeves of her sweatshirt to wipe the few tears she’d shed. “Don’t be. He wasn’t winning any ‘Father of the Year’ awards.”

Isaac nodded, not knowing what to say.

“Do you still have work to do?”

Isaac nodded again. “You wanna help?”

Spencer nodded.

Isaac reached into the shed and pulled out a pair of large gardening shears. “T-trimming the hedges he-helps me when I’m frustrated.” He held the took out to Spencer to take.

She took them and held them in her heads to get coordinated with them. “This isn’t something I can do wrong and completely mess up, is it?”

“I-if you do, I’ll f-fix it.” Isaac smiled.

Spencer laughed quietly. “Alright. Let me at it.”

Isaac led Spencer over to a patch of bushes surrounding a private family lot in the graveyard. Spencer began hacking away at the uneven branches coming from the shrubbery. Isaac stood at a safe distance, holding up a flashlight so Spencer could see. Isaac was certainly right. This helped with all her frustrations and she came out relaxed when she was done.

“N - not bad.” Isaac complimented.

Spencer smiled. “What else, boss?”

“Throwing away the d-dead flowers.” he said, taking the shears from Spencer and moving back towards the main area of the yard.

“Just any dead flowers?”

Isaac nodded.

Spencer sighed and started searching for the wilted flowers. After a minute she spoke. “Did you go to the formal?” she asked, across a few graves.

“N-no. I couldn’t get away.” Isaac said. “H-how was it?”

Spencer shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I got held up.”

“H-how’d Stiles take it?”

“He went with Lydia Martin.”

“Oh…” Isaac said, not knowing how to respond.

“Yup.” Spencer said, tossing the flowers into a trash bin by the shed. She sat down on the dirty floor of the shed, not really caring if she’d dirty her own pants. Isaac joined her a minute later. “It’s been a rough few days.”

Isaac nodded.

“And you know, I’m not really all that surprised that Stiles took Lydia. He’s had a crush on her for as long as I can remember. And I’m Just Spencer.”

“Y-you’re not ‘Just Spencer’.” Isaac insisted. “Y-you’re better t-than that. You h-had no idea wh-who I am, and - and you agreed t-to t-tutor me. Y-you came t-to a graveyard, l-late a-at night, to help m-me s-study. Y-you help me w-work. You keep my secret, e-even though you l-live with the sh-sheriff. I-I’ve never h-had a f-friend, l-let alone, o-one like you.”

Spencer looked from her hands to him.

“It might not s-seem like it, b-but I st-stutter a lot less with you.” Isaac informed her.

Spencer sighed, thinking of what to say. “Is it okay if you’re my only friend for a while?”

Isaac nods, knowing that he can do that for her. Spencer leaned her head down on his shoulder and wrapped an arm around his. Isaac leaned his own head on hers enjoying the relaxing silence.

@#$%$#@

“Isaac!” a man’s voice called. “Isaac!”

Spencer breathed awake at the sound. There was a weight over her. She turned her head and saw that Isaac was asleep next to her. They’d fallen asleep last night.

“Isaac!” The man called again, getting closer.

Spencer’s eyes widened, not knowing who it was, but assuming it was his dad. She started to shake Isaac awake. “Isaac!” she whispered. “Isaac, wake up!”

Isaac slowly came into consciousness, stretching his arms over his head. “What?”

“Isaac!” The man shouted again.

“Oh, no.” Isaac panicked. He pushed himself up from the floor and pulled Spencer up behind him.

“What do you want me to do?” Spencer asked him.

“Isaac!?” The man called again. He had reached the shed and was standing at the entrance to the shed. “What’s this?” he asked. It was too late for Spencer to go anywhere. The two stared at the doorway to the shed like deer in headlights. Isaac was too panicked to even move.

“Mr. Lahey.” Spencer said, walking forward, with a hand outstretched. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Spencer. One of Isaac’s friends.”

Mr. Lahey slowly reached for Spencer’s hand, shaking it. “I wasn’t aware Isaac had friends.”

“Just me. We’re both kind of the loner type.” Spencer joked, smiling. “We were just studying a little bit before he had to work. Not that he needs it. He’s almost smarter than me.”

“Isaac?”

Isaac shook behind Spencer. “Y-yeah?”

“Is that true?”

Isaac nodded his head. “Just s-s-studying, Dad.”

Mr. Lahey narrowed his eyes but nodded his head. “Well, Isaac has a lot of work to do today, so you should go.”

“Yes, sir.” Spencer said, walking towards him to exit the shed. “Isaac, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Isaac nodded. “Y-yeah.”

Spencer turned back to the door to leave. Only Isaac’s dad was still standing in the way. “It was nice meeting you.” Spencer said, ducking around him, avoiding making contact with him. Spencer walked to her car and drove back to the Stilinski house, hoping that Isaac wouldn’t be in trouble. She arrived to find the sheriff home. She went into the kitchen to get a granola bar and a glass of milk.

The sheriff looked at her curiously. “You were out of the house before I was?”

“Uh, yeah.” Spencer said, carefully. “That boy I’m tutoring was working today, but he wanted to get in some study time.”

The sheriff nodded.

Spencer grabbed the granola bar and ran up to her room. She downed the bar and sipped from the milk before she reached under her bed from all the boxes that she used to pack all of her stuff in. She grabbed some packing tape and taped up the box to put stuff in. With all of the noise she attracted the attention of the Sheriff.

“Spencer, what are you doing?” the sheriff asked.

“I’m going back to my mom’s.” She said.

“Why the change?” The older man questioned.

“Dad’s gone now. So I don’t have to worry about him.” She sighed. “And I’m not sure I should be here anymore.”

The sheriff sighed. “Spencer, you’re always welcome here.”

“I know. But I really can’t be here.” Spencer said, letting her eyes flash to the wall connecting her and Stiles’ room.

“Look, I don’t know what happened between the two of you, but I know you’ll figure it out. You always do. So I don’t think you should leave.”

“What? Why?.”

“But…I do know that it takes time. And sometimes the two of you need space.” The sheriff paused before speaking again. “Now, I’m done parenting. I gotta get to the station. Come here, kid.” The sheriff said, opening his arms to Spencer. Spencer walked over and hugged him. “Come back whenever you want.”

Spencer nodded into his shoulder. “Thank you.”

The sheriff pulled away. “You be good.” he said, as he walked out of the room and then out of the house.

Spencer went back to packing, starting with her dresser, filling the box with her clothes. She packed almost as quickly as she unpacked, really just wanting to get out of the house. Once everything was packed and her boxes were taped up, she prepared herself to lift one of them, thinking it should be heavy. However, when she bent down to grab it and pick it up, it barely felt like anything. It was almost like picking up her book bag for school. She smiled, setting the box quickly on the bed and lifting up her shirt. The bite mark was gone. She took the dressing off of her leg. Her gunshot wound was gone, too.

“It worked.” Spencer cheered. “I’m a werewolf.”

@#$%$#@

“This is so awesome,” Spencer exclaimed, lifting a heavy box off of the bed of her truck. Derek had joined her at her house to help her unpack. He grabbed another box and followed her into the house. “It’s like I don’t really need you to help me.”

“I don’t have to, you know.” Derek grumbled.

“No, I know. Thanks for the help. It’s just mind blowing that I could do this all myself.”

“You’re certainly taking it better than Scott did.”

“That’s where he and I are different.” Spencer said, dropping the box on her bed. “Scott thinks that it ruined his life. I’m pretty sure this is enhanced. I mean, I thought I had super senses before with the whole witch thing, but I can actually smell the spoiled leftovers in the fridge. And I can hear the neighbor’s cat next door.” Spencer threw herself on the bed next to the box. “I’m in a completely different world.”

“Glad you like it.” Derek explained, plainly, leaving to finish unloading Spencer’s truck.

Spencer groaned and followed after him. “You don’t have to be so glum about it, Derek. If you didn’t want this you shouldn’t have done it.” Derek ignored her comment until he grabbed a box and went back in her room.

“But I did. I could have killed you, but I did it anyway.”

“I’m not dead.” Spencer reasoned. “Don’t tell me you’re getting all soft on me now.”

Derek scoffed and went out to get the last box.

Spencer began unpacking her clothes and stuffing them back in their original dressers. She was able to get a couple drawers filled before Derek came back.

Derek placed the box on the floor and stood against the wall. He huffed. “I just don’t like the idea of you dying.”

Spencer sighed and stopped what she was doing. “Who was this person? The one that died from the bite? I mean, they had to have been close to you, otherwise you wouldn’t be freaking out right now.”

“I’m not freaking out.”

“Derek, I’m clearly not dead. The bite took. And you’re still standing in front of me beating yourself up over something that could have happened.”

Derek didn’t respond. He just stood by the wall watching Spencer.

She sighed and got back to working. It was dark outside when Spencer had cleaned out her first two boxes.

“Who was that Isaac kid?”

“The guy I tutor. He’s my friend, too. But we kinda had the whole ‘crappy dad’ thing going on, so we bonded.” Spencer said. “Since I know you won’t say anything, I guess it’s safe to tell you what’s really going on with him. His dad abuses him. Like, really bad. He’s never really told me specifics, but he’s always come to school with a different bruise. But he needs to know that I’m there for him. And I want to be, so I have friends outside of Scott and Stiles.”

“Couldn’t you have friends that wouldn’t get yourself into trouble.”

“Yes, but where’s the fun in that? I mean, I’m friends with you, right?” Spencer joked. “I just want friends. Normal friends where the only thing that I’m hiding is what I am. ‘Cause right now, I’m avoiding Scott, so that he doesn’t know that I’m bit. And I’m avoiding Stiles because we broke up.”

“You broke up with him?” Derek questioned. “Why?”

“Lydia. And you.” Spencer said, honestly. “He’s in love with her and I’m not sure what my feelings for you are, so I called it quits, at least until we figure our stuff out.”

Derek nodded.

“I’m not saying I’m gonna pounce on you or anything. I know that, to you, I’m just a teenager. I know that you think that Scott’s feelings for Allison and my feelings for you are one and the same. And I’m not pushing it. I’m slowly working it out.”

“Okay,” Derek said, slowly. “And what about my feelings for you?”

“You have feelings for me?” Spencer questioned. Before Derek could answer, her phone rang.

@#$%$#@

Scott sat in Stiles’ Jeep waiting for him to come out with something of Lydia’s. He searched in his phone for Spencer’s number and quickly called it. She answered after a few rings.

“What, Scott?”

“Lydia’s missing. We need your help.”

“I, uh, I can’t right now. I’m unpacking my stuff back at home.”

“You moved out of Stiles’?”

“Yup.”

“Are you sure we can’t pull you away? We really need that thing you did to find Derek.”

"Scott, I’ve got nothing in me right now. I’m drained from everything that happened the other night, not to mention recovering from a freaking gunshot wound.” Spencer sighed. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“Yeah, okay.” Scott said, defeated. “Bye.”

Stiles came out of the hospital as Scott hung up the phone. Stiles climbed into the Jeep and handed Scott Lydia’s hospital gown.

“And this is the one she was just wearing?” Scott reassured.

Stiles sighed and nodded.

“I’m not gonna let anyone hurt her. Not again.”

“Alright, just shove the thing in your face and let’s find her.”

“You know, I called Spencer.” Scott said, before Stiles turned on the Jeep.

“Yeah?”

“She said that she was unpacking her things. That she’d moved out of your house. She tell you that?”

Stiles scoffed. “Pfft. Yeah.” he lied. “O-of course she did. Why wouldn’t she?”

Scott raised his eyebrows to him.

“We just need some time, that’s all. Time to recover the friendship.” he said, popping his last ‘p’.

“Alright.” Scott said, not believing.

Stiles turned on his Jeep and headlights and was shocked to find Allison heading their way. “Wow!”

She ran around to Scott’s side.

“What are you doing here?” Scott asked her. “Someone’s gonna see us.”

“I don’t care.” Allison responded. “She’s my best friend and we need to find her before they do.”

“I can find her before the cops can.”

“How about before my father does?” Allison countered.

“He knows?” Stiles questioned.

“Yeah. I just saw him and three other guys leave my house in two SUVs.”

Scott looked to Stiles. “Search party.”

“It’s more like a hunting party.” Allison clarified.

Scott nodded, reaching for the door handle. “Get in.”

@#$%$#@

“Sorry about that.” Spencer said to Derek, stuffing her phone in her pocket. “It’s Scott. Lydia is missing.”

“I’ve got to go.” Derek said, turning towards the door.

“You going to go look for Lydia?”

Derek didn’t answer as he left the house and got in his Camaro. He didn’t want to tell Spencer where he was really headed.

When Derek got to the graveyard, he parked quickly. When he got there, the tractor was on its side over a grave. There was another werewolf at the graveyard, digging through someone’s grave. Derek roared at it to get it to run away. It did, running off, squealing. Derek moved to the tractor and lifted it up back onto all tires. He walked over to the dug grave that he sensed Isaac was in.

“Need a hand?” Derek asked.

Isaac fell back into the grave. “Wh-who are you?”

“I’m a friend of Spencer’s. I think I know how to solve your problem.” Derek said, bluntly.