The Bones of You

- Derek -

I sat in my idling car down the block and watched as Sheriff Stilinski ran out to his car and peeled out of his drive. One little call made with a burn phone about shots being fired would get us fifteen minutes max. I turned the car and ran through the backyards until I was able to climb up to the window in his bedroom. Stiles was startled as I climbed in, trying to sniff out anything. He paced nervously which aggravated me.

“Sit down,” I ordered. He promptly obeyed but stopping his body unfortunately meant starting his mouth.

“Did you make the call? Shots fired is pretty serious,” he said.

“It’ll give us enough time. I doubted that your dad would leave the house if there was an accident reported,” I said.

“Fair enough. You getting anything?” he asked.

“Not with you talking,” I grumbled. That shut him up.

Slowly I took a deep breath. There was the scent of Stiles which I was able to discard right away. Somewhere in the air was a familiar scent. It was the same scent I had picked up the night of the attack. Initially I had brushed it off as a scent of a student but now it was heavier. Scott had smelled it too, reinforcing my belief of it not being a random thing. This was the scent of the human who had knocked Stiles on his ass.

Gazing at the note, I didn't know what to think. A human was threatening Stiles for no good reason. Sure the kid liked to irritate people but there was no reason to go after him. There was two other humans in our group, Allison and Lydia. But Allison was a trained fighter. She was strong and almost nothing scared her. She would've been able to take down the attacker. Lydia, though not strong of body, was strong of mind. She would've been able to get more details about her attacker, especially since it seems it was a female.

That left Stiles. No special powers of his own. He was smart but not particularly observant. He was the weak link though at times it seemed, as much as it pains me to admit this, he was the one who kept the entire pack together. So he was the perfect target. And that made me worry.

Grabbing the note and putting in my jacket, I started to slip out the window. I didn't know how exactly to tell Stiles this news. It wasn't exactly easy to tell someone since you’re the weakest you’re the best target and they might hurt you let alone Stiles. I just had to use my instincts with this and put it in the most obscure way possible.

“Make sure you keep your door and window locked from now on,” I said and left before he could make a witty retort. I didn't want to hear the fear in his voice.

After grabbing a few boxes of my stuff from the house, I knew I had to face another young member of his pack. As I pulled into Issac’s drive, the light over the door was left on. From the window I could see him at the table finishing up his remaining homework. I swear next time he pulls a fast one on me like he did today, he would be begging for mercy. But still there was something about having a home again. I hadn't had a real home since the fire. For a year, I had a place with Lena’s family but still never a home. Here I had a bed, a regular kitchen, and someone to be my little brother.

Now only if it all felt real instead of some hoax.

Opening the door, Issac stopped what he was doing. He didn't say much as I hung my jacket on the hook by the door. He stared at me for a second before going back to his work. I searched the fridge for a drink, finding a beer his bad left over. I took a swig and the harsh liquid slid down my throat. I sat down across from Issac and he looked up at me with his big doe eyes.

“I’m really sorry about everything,” he said quietly. I wanted to rip his throat out but something held me back. Lena whispering to me tonight made me calm down. She always had a way to get to me.

“I understand why you told them. Just next time, a little heads up would be appreciated. Did they say when they were going to stop by again?” I asked, trying to make conversation that seemed normal.

“Uh, next Tuesday. They’ll be here after I get home from practice,” he said. I nodded and he went back to him homework.

We went almost into a normal existence. He finished up his stuff and we watched TV while I drank another beer. Even though I couldn't get drunk anymore, there was still something comforting about cracking open a cold one at night. I slept in his father’s old room which thankfully Issac had seemed to clear out his old stuff. The sheets were freshly washed and a new comforter was spread over the bed. It must have been Issac’s as a child because I doubt his father slept with a Toy Story blanket.

While laying there, the quiet echoed outside. I could hear Issac’s breathing, steady and strong as he fell into a deep sleep. I envied him and his ability to just forget out everything that was troubling him so he could just crash. I was still wide awake even though there was no adrenaline coursing through me.

I must have fallen asleep faster then I anticipated because when I awoke, I was no longer in the bed. I found myself face to face with Lena, the dew damp ground underneath my feet. She was starting at my quizzically, her hand on my shoulder trying to slowly rouse me from my somnambulist state. I guess lucky for me I went to bed with a tank top and sweatpants. Didn't want to be caught walking around town in my boxers.

“Derek, what the hell?” she asked, releasing her hand.

I drank in her image in the dim morning sunlight. She had on that cardigan she loved so much, along with her pajama pants that were torn to shreds at the bottom. But on her shirt was something familiar. It was something I left Maine without. She was wearing the shirt she stole from me after an impromptu swim in the lake. I’d been wondering where that shirt was for five years. It was the only thing that was tied me to Beacon Hills.

“Derek what are you doing in the street?” she asked.

I got a good look around this time. Underneath my feet was the gravel road that ran in front of Lena’s house. I could see on her front porch her discarded book and empty coffee pot. Her red coffee cop was still clutched in her hands. Her hair was still a mess in a large messy bun atop her head, strands of hair hanging down in her face.

“I must have been sleep walking,” I muttered.

We stood there for an awkward moment, “Do you want some coffee? I can make a fresh pot,” she said. Although the thought of coffee sounded tempting, I couldn't stand the thought of being alone with her for too long. Memories can be a bitch.

“If you could give me a ride home that would be more ideal,” I said and headed up the drive towards her car.

She went ahead and turned the car on and left me alone for about 5 minutes while she ran inside to return all the items she left outside back to their rightful places. I turned up the volume on the radio and let it distract my from my thoughts about Lena. Pretty soon I was hanging on every lyric.

Take me for all I’m worth
Take me for all I've done, don’t ask many questions
Yes I’ve left many hearts broken, you've been broken too
You and me walking hand and hand I will be your hero
Scars from the past that you keep I’ll heal
It’s been a long road to here
I’m with you, you’re my heroine

I quickly skipped the song but unfortunately for me, I was once again immersed in feelings I didn't want to rekindle.

So alone, so afraid
It’s hard to find the words to say
I’m so cold, led astray
And I couldn't even find my way

The scent of you is what I live for
Your face your smile is what I’d die for

I’ll trade my life away for one more minute one more day
It’s you I need, the better part of me
I’ll trade my hope and dreams to feel you layin’ next to me
I pray you see, that you’re the better part of me

I was lifeless I was shamed
I was taking my own life away
I was faithless left to blame
Then you took my hand and led the way

I quickly shut the CD off. I couldn't take it anymore. I didn't want any sound or anything. I just wanted to get back to my bed and hopefully sneak in before Issac woke up. Even though I knew he wouldn't tell outright, Stiles had a way of getting information out of the most unwilling of people.

I didn't want any awkwardness within the pack. I didn't want any snickers from the peanut gallery. I just wanted to be back to normal.