Love's Spiral

Spencer couldn’t fall asleep. She couldn’t bring herself to. Sure, Spencer was tired, but being able to see Isaac, and know that he was alive and back home, safe and sound, meant practically everything to her. She couldn’t help but stare at his peaceful face as he slept deeply.

Isaac’s chest would rise and fall with each breath and he had the softest of snores. Rather unlike Derek.

Spencer turned onto her back wondering why she was comparing Isaac to Derek. They were two completely different people. Even with the alpha’s recent change in behavior, he couldn’t quite reach the innocence that kept Isaac Lahey the sweet boy he’s always been. Spencer wasn’t sure anything could ever change Isaac. He would always be that shy person she had practically forced to hang out with her.

Spencer sighed. At the same time, her phone started to vibrate on Isaac’s bedside table. Spencer reached for it before the loud noise could wake Isaac up. She was quiet when she spoke. “Hey, Stiles.”

“Hey.” Stiles said in response. “I know that Isaac’s still recovering and you’re probably busy with that, but I thought you’d wanna come to a party tonight.”

Spencer scoffed. “I’m not exactly in a party mood.” she joked. “And I really don’t want to leave Isaac.” Spencer looked over at him as he remained asleep. “Who’s party is it?”

“It’s Heather’s birthday party. I think she’d want you there.”

“Wait, like Heather, Heather?”

“If you mean the Heather we practically spent every day with when we were tiny people, yeah.”

“I haven’t talked to her in years. Like since middle school.”

“Me neither. Hardly.” Stiles admitted. “But she invited me and I could really use the night out.”

“So could Scott. Take him.” Spencer suggested. “I really would come, but I’m not leaving Isaac.”

Stiles sighed. “Alright. Just thought that since we’re on the same page now, I’d invite you.”

A smile grew on Spencer’s face. “Thanks, Stiles, it means a lot. Would you tell her, though, that I said ‘happy birthday’? And that we should get lunch or dinner soon. Just the three of us.”

“Yeah. Sounds good.”

Spencer hung up the phone, and placed it back on the side table before curling back up to Isaac. She began to play multiple kisses on his cheeks and down his neck.

The actions wake Isaac up slowly. “Good morning.” He said groggily, eyes still half closed.

Spencer laughed quietly. “It’s not really morning. You’ve only been sleeping for a couple hours since lunch. But we’re still not sure what happened to you while they had you so I want to make you wake you up every now and then. Just in case you never do.”

Isaac stretched out his arms quickly and then wrapped them around Spencer’s shoulders. “I will always wake up. Especially if you’re next to me.”

Spencer groaned. “Urgh, please with the sappy crap.”

“Oh you love it.” Isaac paused. “Almost as much as…”

“Almost as much as what?” Spencer furrowed her brow and looked up at Isaac.

Isaac stared at her for a moment, wondering if this was the best moment to tell her his real feelings for her. But, by the look on Spencer’s face and what he had seen earlier between her and Derek, it wasn’t. “I have no idea.”

Spencer laughed at him.

“I wanted to say something snarky, but I couldn’t think of anything really good.” He said, playing it off.

“You’re unbelievable.” She pushed herself up just a little so she could kiss his lips. “But you gotta remember, that you’re not the funny, babe. I’m the funny.”

“You are the funny. I think they alphas just hit me a little too hard on the head.”

Spencer bit her lip. “I really am sorry about letting you go alone.”

“I told you not to worry about it.” Isaac pleaded.

Spencer shrugged. “It was really immature of me to start that fight about me and Stiles.”

“It shouldn’t have been a fight in the first place. I know you and Stiles have been friends forever and I shouldn’t be jealous of that.”

“You’re jealous?” Spencer asked. “Of Stiles?”

“Wouldn’t you be?” Isaac asked, laughing. “He’s probably the one person in the world that knows you best. And considering I feel like I know you very well, it’s intimidating.”

Spencer placed a hand on the side of Isaac’s face. “Please don’t be jealous of Stiles.” She asked of him. “If I wanted to be with Stiles, I would be with Stiles. I would have gone to a party with him tonight, but instead I wanted to be here with you.”

“Because I got kidnapped.”

“Because I care about you.” Spencer corrected. “You gotta stop thinking so little of yourself and realize that I actually really like you. You’ve somehow kept afloat since Derek’s been gone.”

“Someone had to make sure you were taken care of while you were taking care of everything else.”

Spencer smiled. “You’re something else, Isaac Lahey.” She snuggled herself into Isaac’s chest wrapping an arm over his stomach. “You really are.”

Isaac sighed. “So what are we doing about my memory thing? Is Derek gonna try?”

Spencer hesitated. “I need to look into a few more things. See what information that we have one it. I’ll check my book and Peter’s computer. There has to be something about it that we don’t understand but that we can learn. I want to know more about it before we subject you to something like that.”

Isaac’s chest rose and fell softly under her head.

“Isaac?” Spencer looked up at him, seeing that he had fallen asleep. She smiled. “I really like you, Wolfboy.”

!@#$#@!

Spencer had been sitting on the coffee table that sat in their living room. She was sitting across from the couch that held Derek. The two of them were, again, going through all the books and information that Spencer had gathered about the supernatural.

Isaac was thankfully in the shower, but Spencer had yet to tell him the truth about who was going to help him get back his memories.

Derek watched her as she stared down at her family book. He could tell that she wasn’t really reading anything, just staring down at the page. Derek noticed that Spencer’s eyes were squinting and her bottom lip was held captive between her teeth. It was the kind of stare that she got when she was thinking hard about something important that was weighing on her.

Derek cleared his throat. “You do know that you’re not supposed to sit on tables, right?”

Spencer looked up at him. “Sue me.” She joked before sighing. “The couch is too comfy.” Spencer reached behind her, tying her hair into a bun at the nape of her neck.

“Because you wanted a comfortable couch.” Derek said. “I got it because you wanted it.”

“Well, yeah. I know that. But if I got too comfy, I’ll lose focus and then I’ll stop studying this thing. I need to make sure this is what we need to do for Isaac.”

“You haven’t told him yet.” Derek called her out.

“Of course not.” Spencer lowered her voice. “How exactly do you tell someone that someone who has risen from the dead has to put their claws into the back of their neck?”

“You’ve got a point.”

“I know I do.” She narrowed her eyes at Derek as he adjusted himself on the couch. “I thought you liked the couch.”

“I do like the couch.”

“Do you like the couch because I like the couch or because you actually like the couch?” Spencer asked.

“I actually like the couch.”

Spencer pursed her lips. “Liar.”

Derek smiled. “I didn’t like the couch at first.”

“Aha!” Spencer cheered. “You don’t like the couch.”

“I said at first.”

“Why not?” Spencer asked, moving the book from her lap and leaning over with her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. “Why didn’t you like the couch?”

Derek looked down at the couch and then to her. “This couch, it eats you.” he said, making up a lie.

Spencer smiled. “That’s the best part.”

“I see that now.” Derek said, continuing to dig his hole. “I just wasn’t used to it.”

Spencer’s face saddened. “You can’t tell me that you’ve never had a comfy couch before.”

“My family did. Before the fire.”

Spencer nodded. “So you’re still lying.”

Derek furrowed his brow at her.

“That’s why you really didn’t like the couch. That explains it rather well, actually.”

“How is knowing I used to have a comfy couch explain why I didn’t like this one?”

“It’s sort of like an unconditioned response.”

“Like Pavlov?”

“Almost like Pavlov. He did conditioned responses.” Spencer informed. “You relate this comfy couch to the one you had before with the family that you lost. Therefore, you didn’t like it. I hope, though, that the reason you’re okay with it now, is because you see this place as your new home.”

Derek stared at her again. It came to him again. The ache that wished he hadn’t messed things up with Spencer. That he had just told her about the alphas. That he hadn’t overreacted about the alphas taking her memories. That he had stayed with her to keep her safe. That didn’t break up with her just because he was the one that was scared.

“Derek?” Spencer questioned, bringing him back to the reality in front of him. “Are you okay?”

Derek nodded, but kept his eyes on her.

Spencer brought a hand up to her face, covering it. “Is there something on my face?”

“No. You’re, uh, you’re good.”

Upstairs, the shower had stopped.

Spencer’s breath hitched in her throat.

“You should tell Isaac before he gets here.”

“What about you, huh?” Spencer asked, half joking. “You’re the one who won’t do it yourself. Technically, getting you-know-who involved was your idea.”

“What about we do it together?”

Spencer smiled and nodded to him. “I just wish there was a better way than risking his life.” she said, far too low that Derek barely even heard it.

“Hey!” Isaac called, pounding down the stairs. He looked to Spencer. “So, what did you find out?” Isaac asked. “Can we do this memory thing?”

Spencer and Derek both quickly stood up from their spots. They turned to him with rather nervous looks on their faces.

“Why do you look like you’re about to tell me my dog died?”

“Go easy?” Derek asked Spencer. “Or like a band-aid?”

“Band-aid.” Spencer responded. “It’s always band-aid.”

“Spencer?” Isaac questioned.

Spencer took a deep breath. “Peter’s coming.”

“Derek’s undead uncle? That Peter? Why?”

“He’s gonna be the one to do the memory thing. He’s the one who has to do it.”

“I called him last night. He should be here soon.” Derek informed.

“Why?” Isaac asked, suddenly extremely worried.

“It’s kind of a sensitive procedure. The claws literally have to go into the back of your neck. Something about the spinal cord being connected to the brain stem to access your memories.”

Isaac began to pace back and forth alongside the big window. “And that’s what you found?”

“It’s what she found.” Derek said, grabbing the books he and Spencer were going through and brought them to the table that was at the foot of his bed. He sat down in the chair underneath it.

Isaac took a deep breath. “You know, I’m not sure I like this idea.”

Spencer approached Isaac and sat on the table, facing him. “It’s the only thing that we have right now.”

“It sounds kinda dangerous.” Isaac paused. “You know what? I definitely don’t like this idea. and I definitely don’t like him.”

When Isaac wasn’t looking, Spencer reached over and slapped Derek’s shoulder.

Derek looked at her questioningly.

Spencer gestured her head back to Isaac, wondering when he was going to input something.

“You’ll be fine.” Derek said.

Isaac looked to Derek. “Does it have to be him? Why can’t you do it?”

“He knows how.” Derek explained, looking back at the book in his hands. “I don’t.”

Isaac walked towards the table, standing next to Spencer.

“It’d be more dangerous if I tried doing it myself.”

“You know Scott doesn’t trust him, right?” Isaac asked.

“What does Scott have to do with this?”

“Because personally, I’d - well, I’d trust Scott.”

“Do you trust me?” Derek asked. “Do you trust Spencer?” Derek looked up from the book.

“Yeah.” Isaac admitted. “I still don’t like him.”

Spencer placed a hand on his arm to calm him. “I’m not sure anyone does.”

The door to the loft slid open with scratches and loud screeches as metal moved against metal. Peter appeared from behind the door and sauntered inside. “Boys.” He looked to Spencer. “Princess.” Peter said with attitude.

Spencer jumped down from the tabletop and stood to watch Peter. She narrowed her eyes at the man.

“FYI, yes, coming back from the dead has left my abilities somewhat impaired but the hearing still works.” Peter explained. “So I hope you’re comfortable saying whatever it is that you’re feeling straight to my face.”

Derek looked up at his uncle. “We don’t like you.” He slammed the book closed and set it on the table. “Now shut up and help us.”

“Fair enough.” Peter flicked his hand down, forcing his claws out.

“Now, hold on a minute, Lame Brain.” Spencer said. “We need to talk about this for a minute.”

Peter cocked his head to the side. “Is that supposed to be a zombie joke?”

“Damn right, it is. But I need to make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.”

“Your boyfriend forgot some things while he was kidnapped by the alpha pack. He knows where the alphas are.”

“Which means he might now where Erica and Boyd are.” Spencer explained. “That’s what we’re looking for.”

Peter feigned annoyance, taking a few more steps towards Spencer. “Okay, Mom, jeez.”

“Please don’t call me your mother. I’m sure she was a wonderful woman and that’s probably an insult to her.” Spencer snarked.

Derek snorted a quiet laugh.

Peter looked to him.

Derek recovered himself quickly.

“I do like this whole pack mom persona you’ve come up with. It fits you.”

Derek stood from the chair getting between Peter and Spencer as Isaac glared at Peter from around the table.

“And considering you’ve got these two protecting you, like they do, they like it, too.” Peter winked at Spencer and turned back towards the sofa. He removed his jacket as as he walked and set it on the furniture.

Derek took the chair he previously sat in and moved it to the middle of the floor. “You’ll need to sit.” Derek said to Isaac, sitting on the couch.

Isaac looked hesitant, and really scared.

Spencer grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She pulled him from around the table and to the chair. “It’ll be alright.”

Peter made his way back to Isaac. “Yes, it will. And you should relax. I’ll get more out of you if you’re calm.” He looked to Spencer and gestured to the couch behind him. “Have a seat. I don’t want you messing anything up.”

Spencer scoffed in hesitation, but listened. She sat on the end of the coffee table in front of Derek.

“How do you know how to do this again?”

Peter walked around to stand behind Isaac. “It’s an ancient ritual used mostly by alphas, since it’s a skill that requires quite a bit of practice.” His claw-bared hand hovered over the back of Isaac’s neck. “One slip and you could paralyze someone. Or kill them.”

Spencer took a nervous deep breath at Peter’s words. She was rather hoping that wouldn’t be brought up.

“You - you’ve had a lot of practice, though, right?” Isaac asked, looking back at Peter.

Peter shrugged. “Well, I’ve never paralyzed anyone.”

“What?” Spencer asked quickly, realizing what it may have meant.

“Wait, does that mean that you - ”

Peter cut off Isaac by piercing his skin with his claws.

Isaac struggled against the man and tried to push Peter’s hand away from his neck.

Spencer pushed herself forward to help Isaac, but Derek held her back. “Derek, let me go.”

“Just wait a minute.”

Spencer whined, wishing they had come up with a better idea.

Peter’s head shot back as it seemed all of Isaac’s memories were flooding into his own eyes. Both of them were grunting at the discomfort.

Isaac’s legs flailed about, trying to push away from Peter.

“He was alpha for all of five minutes. This was a bad idea.” Spencer stressed, getting to her feet.

Derek followed suit.

“Wait.” Peter said, making Derek grab ahold of Spencer. “I see them.” He took in quickly labored breaths as the memories came to him.

Spencer looked back at Derek. “I don’t trust him.” she said between her teeth.

Suddenly, Peter pushed Isaac away from him, making his claws come out of the beta’s neck and Isaac’s upper body fall forward.

Spencer hurried over to him, sitting to her knees directly in front of him. She tried to get a good look at his face to make sure he was okay. “Hey.” Spencer said, trying to get his attention.

Peter looked back at Isaac, but took heavy step steps away from the boy.

“What’d you see?” Derek asked.

Peter was panting. “It was confusing. Um, im-images. Vague, uh, shapes.”

Isaac placed one of his hands on his neck and Spencer tried to take some of his pain away.

“But you saw something.” Derek insisted.

“Isaac found them.” Peter answered, not looking to the pack.

“What?” Spencer asked. “Who?”

“Erica and Boyd?” Derek questioned.

Isaac looked at Spencer with regret.

Spencer furrowed her brow at him.

Isaac shook his head.

“I barely saw them. I mean, glimpses.”

“But you did see them.” Derek stressed.

“And worse.”

“Deucalion.” The alpha guessed.

Peter looked to Derek. “He was talking to them. Something about time running out.”

Derek sat down and buried his head in his hands.

Spencer tightened her hold on Isaac’s hands. “We always knew this was possibility.”

“But what does it mean?” Isaac asked, looking to Derek.

“He’s gonna kill them.” Derek told them.

“No.” Peter denied, repeating himself. “He didn’t say that. He did make them a promise that by the next full moon, that they’d both be dead.”

“The next full moon?”

Spencer thought. She shook her head. “But that doesn’t make sense. That’s tomorrow night. Why hold them for four months and then kill them? What does that prove?”

“That they have power.”

“We know they have power.” Spencer groaned. It was all so frustrating to her. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Spencer pulled it out checking the Caller ID. “It’s Scott.”

“Answer it.” Derek ordered.

Spencer nodded and answered the call. “Hey, Scotty. What’s up?”

“You busy?” Scott asked.

“Not really.”

“Can you get Derek and meet us at the school?”

“What’s this about?”

Scott hesitated. “Uh, it’s probably easier to explain this in person.”

Spencer looked to Derek, asking for an answer.

“I just figured since we’re working together, you might want to hear this.” Scott added.

Derek nodded.

“Yeah.” Spencer said to the phone. “We’ll leave in five.”

“See you soon.”

Spencer shoved her phone back into her pocket. “You’ll stay here.” She said to Isaac. Spencer stood to her feet and kissed his forehead. “Get something to eat, okay?”

Isaac shook his head, protesting. “I wanna come.”

“You need to get back to normal after that. Get a little rest.”

“All I’ve had for the past twenty-four hours is rest. I think I’m rested.” Isaac angrily stood to his feet, swaying a little bit.

Spencer caught him quickly. “You were saying?”

“I’m coming.”

“You should stay.” Derek said.

Spencer showed the alpha a small, appreciative smile.

“We’ll come back and tell you what we learn.”

Isaac relented, nodding. He looked back at Peter quickly and back to Spencer. “Does he have to stay though?”

Spencer raised a brow and looked to Peter. “That depends on whether or not he’s going to be a polite houseguest.”

“I’ll be on my best behavior.” Peter said, with a smirk. “You won’t even know I’m here.”

Spencer looked back to Isaac. “Just don’t kill him, okay?” She asked, getting a nod from Isaac. “I’ll be right back.”