Reversis

It was a rainy day in California when Sheriff Stilinski pulled up to the McCall household. He sat in his cruiser for a good fifteen minutes in front of the familiar household and took a few deep breaths, rubbing his reddened eyes to appear as normal as possible before he approached the front door. It had been a rough night at the hospital and this morning had been no better. He vaguely wondered if Melissa had already told Scott, but he really hoped she hadn’t. He needed to do this himself.

The Stilinski men were very independent people who were full of pride. They didn’t seek out others to help them solve their problems but this was something that the sheriff couldn’t solve himself and he needed help. He would do anything for it – whatever the price. Which led him here, wringing his hands then darting out into the rain. He paused at the door, knocking lightly before shoving his hands in the pockets of his jacket. He had been at work all night, not changing before visiting his son, and then came straight here.

“Hey, Mr. Stilinski.” Scott greeted, smiling warmly as he always did. He had always liked Scott – couldn’t have picked a better friend for his son. Even after all the craziness discovering what he really was, Scott was still the most upstanding boy he had ever met. “Is everything okay?” He clearly noted the obvious sorrowful expression on his face and dropped his smile. “Is it Stiles? What’s going on?”

“Can I come in for a second, son?” Scott nodded dumbly, opening the door wider so they could both go inside and sit at the kitchen table.

“Is Stiles okay?”

“I just came from the hospital. It’s …” He cleared his throat, feeling the overwhelming sensation to let his emotions get to him once again but he didn’t want to break down in front of Scott. Doing it in front of his own son was horrible enough. “It seems he has … he has gotten … it’s what his mother had.”

“Wait, what? I thought he was just cleared like a month ago? What happened? Maybe it’s a fluke?”

“It’s not a fluke, Scott. They kept him overnight. It’s spreading rapidly in his brain. There’s … there’s nothing doctors can do now except keep him comfortable for … for …”

“This … this can’t be happening.” Scott was at a loss for words. He couldn’t imagine Stiles being holed up in the hospital, dying, when not too long ago they had been practicing lacrosse as if nothing was wrong. “There has to be something that we can do.”

“There is, actually. It’s why I came here.” He took a deep breath and finally looked the young boy in the eye. “I need you to do me a favor. For Stiles.”

“Anything.”

“I need you to bite him.”



It had taken a lot of convincing of Scott. It had taken even more to get Stiles out of the hospital and that was only possible because Melissa had been working and forged some release papers to allow them to leave. Stiles didn’t know what was going on but he was happy to be leaving the hospital. He didn’t want to die there. He had always hated them ever since his mother passed away. It was hard for him to look at his father, so broken down. He was stronger than him, somehow, and hadn’t been broken by the news like his father had. Perhaps it was all the close calls he had suffered since Scott had become a werewolf but death no longer terrified him anymore. And making the joke about dying a virgin did not amuse his father nearly as much as it had amused him at the time.

Stiles was surprised to see Scott waiting on the steps to their front porch when he was brought home that evening. He got out of the car, weakened but able to slowly walk on his own over to his friend. “So I’m guessing my dad told you.”

Scott stood up, nodding, pushing his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “Yeah, he came by earlier. How are you, uh, feeling?”

“Like I’m dying or something. Though that has more to do with how people are treating me now. My dad, then Lydia, now you …”

“Lydia went to see you?”

“Well. You know. Banshee stuff.” Scott could tell Stiles was trying to sound casual, brush it off in only a way he knew how with sarcasm and humor, but it fell flat. The tone was all wrong and Scott could feel the tremor in his voice. Knew his friend was afraid.

The three men walked into the house, collapsing into seats in the living room. “Look, Stiles, your dad came by earlier to tell me but also to ask me something. I agreed to it on one condition – that it’s what you want.”

“I know I made the joke about dying a virgin, dad, but I was thinking more along the lines of someone a bit more feminine. As much as I love you, Scott. You know. Like a brother.”

“Stiles.” His father warned. “This is serious.”

“I’m sorry. Please, Scott, get along with asking for my hand in marriage.”

“Stiles. Your dad asked me to bite you.”

A pause, complete silence, surrounded the entire living room. The lights were dim but Stiles could read both of their faces clearly. They were being completely and entirely serious. Stiles took those moments of complete silence to think over the proposal instead of trying to make light of the situation like he so often did. He was dying anyway. They had told him he didn’t have very long with the rapidity in which it was spreading through his brain. He wouldn’t see the next school year, that much was certain. There was also a chance that the bite would kill him. Either way, there was death. At least, there was a slim chance he would live if he let Scott bit him. And, also, he’d have a circle of wolves that could help him learn how to control it.

There were worse things.

“Okay.”

“Wait, really? That’s it?” Scott asked.

“What do you mean? Like I really have to think about it. I’m dying. But, dad, you want this?”

“I want any option that could potentially keep me from losing my son, yes.”

“Then I don’t have any other questions. Do it.”

“Stiles, you know you could die from this, too?”

“I know. But I’m certainly dying this way. My dad’s right – I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to stay alive. I don’t want to die yet. I’m still a virgin.”

“Oh my God, shut up about that already. This is serious. Your whole world is going to change.”

“I know. But you’ll help me. Isaac and Derek will help me, although it pains me having to turn to them. I’m okay with this. I want this.”

“Okay.” Scott looked between Stiles – his best friend since he could remember – and the sheriff and neither one of them seemed to waver at all. They were resolute in their decision and even though Scott had his reservations about doing this he knew that he would do whatever it took to save his best friend’s life. “I have to tell you … this won’t be pleasant.”

“I know. You’re biting me. And even though I tease, I’m pretty positive I’m not that kinky. One way to find out, though.”

“Everything is a joke …” He heard his dad mumble, pacing. “I’m going to leave the room for this.”

“Probably a good idea.” Scott said. “It won’t take long, but it’ll be painful.”

The sheriff heard his son scream from the other side of the house and gripped the counter harshly, wanting nothing more than to run into the living room and pull Scott off of him. He remained where he was until the house was silent again. A few moments later, Scott walked into the kitchen and crossed his arms, Stiles was not with him.

“He’ll need to rest for awhile. It takes a couple of days before we’ll know …”

“If it kills him. I remember.”

“Stiles is really strong. He’s a fighter, even if he thinks death is certain he walks into battle with nothing more than a baseball bat.” They shared a short chuckle over that, the sheriff nodding. “I think he can get through this.” Scott continued.

“That was a concern of mine at first but then I realized that isn’t my greatest fear anymore.”

“Then, what is?”

“I’m not afraid of him surviving. I’m afraid of what he’ll turn into and what it could possibly mean for him and the rest of his life.”

“I wasn’t great at being a werewolf at first, but now I can’t imagine life without this … part of me. Whatever happens, you have to remember … he’s still your son.”

Stiles could hear them talking though he knew they were trying to be quiet for his benefit. He sank further into the couch, his arm burning from the bite of his best friend. His mind was swirling so he shut his eyes as he listened to his father voice his fears over what he will become. A monster. He could imagine that was what his father would think of him the first time he saw him transition into a wolf. And then a shockingly heavy weight of guilt settled upon his chest, almost making it hard to breathe. Scott hadn’t had a choice, neither had Derek. This … gift … had been given to them without their knowledge or want for it and here he was taking that path just so he wouldn’t have to die. A part of him was immediately regretting it and hoped the bite would kill him. He felt like such a coward. A selfish, coward.

But, a bigger part, relished in the idea of no longer being the weak link in his friends. He might pull through this and come out strong and fierce and finally, for once, be able to plunge into battle with more than a bat and his wits. He could finally protect his friends, his father. He wouldn’t be a burden, the only one of his friends who was completely and entirely human.

He’d finally be … special.