Archive of Our Own

Running.

They're always running.

Constantly on the flight.

But at the same time at a permanent stand-still.

* * * * * * *

Jordan wakes in the middle of the night, panting. He's shivering – not so much from cold as from his dream – and wet with sweat, as so many nights before.

It is always the same dream. The memory of that fateful morning almost three years ago. They had gone on a patrol, same as always. Everything had been the same as so many times before, the same people, the same orders even the jokes they made were the same – that was until the homemade bomb went off.

He gets up, disentangling his legs from the blanket from when he had kicked and thrashed around in his sleep. He doesn't want to think about what had happened and he knows he can't go back to sleep anytime soon so he goes to the small kitchen of his two-room-apartment to get himself something to drink before he lounges in front of the TV – one of the few things he has already unpacked, two weeks after moving he still mostly lives out of boxes – listlessly zapping through the channels.

Sometime in the night – or early morning – sleep has gotten him again and when he wakes up to the sound of the construction site across the street he's shocked to see that it's already almost nine o'clock.

After a quick shower he throws on some clothes before he leaves for his first therapy-session with Mrs. Morrel. His old therapist had recommended her when he moved and Jordan hopes she will be better than the last one and really help him instead of just saying he should move on. And to do this he'd have to stop running away and face his fears and memories. He faced them almost every night.

Okay perhaps he had been partially right – about the running away part at least. His job as Deputy here in Beacon Hills is the fourth since he left the army two years ago. He just couldn't stay in the same place for a long time. At first he went back to his parents' farm but he couldn't stand all the openness of the Midwest or the solitude of farm-life and much less his mother's pity and fussing around him.

Then he moved to Chicago where he worked for a private security service which he left after only a few months because he couldn't get along with his colleagues. Also he felt like suffocating in the big city and he missed the quiet. With his flatmate, neighbors and traffic three stories below it was never really silent even when he retreated to his room to be alone.

Next his uncle Mark – great uncle? His Mom's cousin, never mind the correct term – got him a job at the Border Control down in California. Jordan hated it right from the beginning but he stayed for his overbearing mother's sake. At least for as long as he needed to finish the Police Academy in San Diego. And hey – at least the climate and the sea were great and he got along great with Braeden, Mark's daughter.

But as soon as he was done with his final exam and was sure he would pass he handed in his notice and went looking for a job. He couldn't live in the countryside and had hated the big city so he concluded the open position in the small town of Beacon Hills would be worth a try. That's how he ended up here as the newest addition to the Sheriff's Department.

His first impression of Mrs. Morrel is that she seems nice but also a bit intimidating as if she could read his every thought. But she doesn't ask many questions – at least in their first session – and just lets him tell her whatever he chooses to without pressuring him. Afterwards Jordan swings by the Indian place he saw on his way over to get himself some vegetarian curry. This was another aftermath of his time in the Army. He isn't a strict vegetarian but he eats considerably less meat than before and especially makes a huge bow around all diners, burger-joints and most of all BBQs – the smell of grilled, roasted or fried meat reminds him of the incident, of burned human flesh.

It still makes him feel queasy or even retch, and that's on a good day. He doesn't want to think about what could happen on a bad day.

He settles on his couch with it and starts zapping through the channels again, still having a few hours till his night shift begins.

***

At his first night shift Jordan as the newbie – or probie, as some of his colleagues like to call him – has to man the station while the only two other officers on duty are on patrol. This is Beacon Hills, nothing really ever happens here. Even less so on a Thursday night.

It's around quarter past eleven and he is reading through old case-files to pass the time. He just opened one of suspected arson from about ten years back when the phone rings.

“Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department, Deputy Parrish speaking.”

“Parrish? You must be the new Deputy I've heard about.”

“Ah, yes. How can I help you?”

“Oh right! Hello. Here's Mrs. Blake from Deucalion's Home for Boys. One of our wards is missing, probably ran away again. He does this from time to time. I know you can't technically file a report until after twenty-four hours but can you perhaps tell the Sheriff to keep his eyes open and look around for him, it's freezing outside.”

While it isn't really freezing, early March is definitely too cold to sleep outside.

“We already searched the Home and the grounds but couldn't find him.”

“Okay can you tell me when you last saw him and when you realized he was missing?”

“Um he came home from school … we didn't see Isaac at supper, that's at half past six till seven. But that's not too out of the ordinary. And we realized he was missing at lights out at ten. Since then we were looking for him, most times he disappears he's just somewhere around the house reading or whatever.”

“Good, can you describe him to me?”

“Isaac is sixteen, quite tall, about six feet two, slim, with sandy-blonde curly hair and blue eyes”

“...curly hair, blue eyes” Jordan mumbled while writing it down.

“The Sheriff and most Deputies know him.”

“Okay” He nods to himself wondering why the whole station would know him before he remembers that this Isaac apparently runs away on a regular basis.

“Now can you perhaps tell me what he's wearing?”

“Hm, let me think. Jeans obviously and a hoodie either black or dark blue, I'm not sure.”

“And a jacket?”

“His jacket is here along with his phone, he must have left without one.”

Great. Some kid out there in the cold without even a jacket, they'd better find him soon...

“Thank you Mrs …?”

“Blake. Jennifer Blake.”

“Thank you Mrs. Blake, Sheriff Stilinsky is at home off duty but I'll tell Deputy Heigh and O'Donnell to look for him. Just one more thing. What did you say was Isaac's last name? I didn't get that.”

“Lahey. L-A-H-E-Y”

The moment he hears the name Jordan freezes. Suddenly he can't breath and is tumbling down into his own head.

The thoughts and memories that he finds there – that assault him there – he had thought long buried – burned and the ashes given to the wind – like the flesh they once came from.

Blue eyes, a dimpled smile, the feeling of buzz-cut hair under his fingers, of soft lips meeting his own. The warmth of a body, the smell of sun-kissed skin and the rhythm of a heartbeat as his head rests on another firm, slightly hairy chest. A laugh – Jordan had always told him he should laugh more – that the world would never hear again. A dream of a future that would never become reality.

It is all there, for the blink of an eye. And then it is gone.

Usurped by bitter dust, flames and dark smoke. By screams of agony, the taste of blood and the smell of burning human flesh. By fear, helplessness and black despair.

“…eputy? Deputy! Is everything okay?”, he hears through the phone-headset.

Jordan blinks and takes a deep breath, then another. He doesn't know how long he was out of it, but it couldn't have been too long, he reasons, when Mrs. Blake is still on the phone with him. He considers that a small mercy.

“Are you still there?” Mrs Blake asks again.

“Sorry, Mrs. Blake. I think we had a small problem with the connection.”, he lies and hopes his voice doesn't sound too shaken up, “We will get back to you as soon as we have any news or if we need anything else.”

“Thanks Deputy. I'll call if he turns up.”

After a minute – or five – to get himself together he calls the cruiser and tells them that there's a kid missing from Deucalion's. He doesn't even need to tell them the name or the description, because as soon as he mentioned the Boys Home Deputy Heigh asks: “Let me guess – the Lahey-Kid again? Why does he always pull this shit on my shift”

“Oh right, because naturally he has it out for you.”, his partner scoffs and proceeds to ask if Jordan has called the Sheriff yet.

“No. I mean, he's off duty and it's already kind of late, I didn't want to bother him.”

“Call him, he'll want to know about this. We're gonna look in all the usual places and keep our eyes open.”

So he calls Sheriff Stilinsky who is down at the station not even ten minutes later.

The Sheriff only dropped in for a minute to ask if Jordan would manage and for a quick update on the situation. He calls O'Donnell to ask if they had anything yet.

“He's not at his old house, Sheriff. We're heading over to the school now.”

“Good. Make sure to look by the swimming-pool and the Lacrosse field. I'm heading to the cemetery.”

With a look over his shoulder Stilinsky tells him to stay put and to call him immediately if he hears anything and then he's out again, leaving Jordan alone with his thoughts.

* * * * *

When Isaac slowly comes back to his senses, the first thing he realizes is, that there's something hard and pointy pressing into his thigh.

He opens his eyes and at first everything is dark and he's back at the edge of panic, but then luckily his eyes adjust to the night and he can discern lighter and darker shapes in his surroundings and it sinks in, that he isn't back there – in the freezer – with no hope of escape.

It takes him a while longer to comprehend where he is: somewhere in the forest, the shapes he couldn't place at first come from the light of the stars and the sliver of moon that filter between the trees.

This realization brings with it another kind of panic. But this one much weaker, normal, what he supposes every person would feel, coming to in the woods at night with no clear idea where or how to get home. This normal panic he can handle.

Isaac rolls over and scrambles into a sitting position, so the stone or root or whatever stops hurting his thigh. His side is damp and dirty where he lay on the ground and he only now notices how cold he really is. He pulls his hoodie closer around himself and uses his arm to rub the flaky, dried tears and snot of his face and out of his eyes.

He looks around himself but there's nothing to see in the dark forest. He hopes he is not too far in the woods because it is pretty easy to get lost here even in daylight.

When Isaac tries to stand there is a sharp pain in his foot. He must have hurt it somehow while running out here in a blind, driven panic. That's the problem. Something must have triggered him – and really badly if he ended up all the way in the woods. He remembers the sound of shattering glass and then nothing. He had a total mental blackout, just running away without knowing where he was going.

It had happened before. Once when Jackson decided it would be funny to lock him into a closet at school without light – he didn't get very far then, he ran into Coach Finstock and apparently gave him a split lip trashing around – and the first time when his dad was in one of his drunken moods, and he bolted. That time he had ended up in the hospital after he was grazed by a car.

It was also the last time he saw his dad alive.

The car-crash hadn't really hurt him, but he had a black eye, bruised lips and two broken finger anyway. Along with some older bruises and injuries.

Apparently that had been enough for a nurse – Nurse McCall, Isaac fondly remembered her name and her warm smile – to inform the police. And for the Sheriff to take his father into custody.

Somebody later told him that his father must have known what he did was very wrong or he wouldn't have hung himself in his cell that night.

People afterwards often told him, his dad was a bad man and deserved to die. They called him a sick bastard or a monster in the media. Isaac knows on some level that they were right, that he was better of without him.

Regardless that did nothing to stop his tears at the funeral.

And there is nothing he can do to stop his tears now.

A while later he falls asleep from exhaustion. Curled up on himself against a tree, sobbing and shivering.

***

He is ungently woken up an indefinite time later by a boot prodding his thigh. It must be the beginning of dawn. It is considerably brighter and there is the twittering of birds in the air instead of the uncanny sounds of a nighttime forest.

“You. What the hell are you doing here?”, a gruff voice asks.

Isaac blinks a bit more awake and looks up at the source of the voice, an unfriendly, dark looking man with stubble and thick eyebrows.

“What's your name?” he's asked again before he can figure out an answer.

“I- Isaac.”, he stutters.

“And what are you doing out here in the woods in the middle of the night?”

Isaac just looks up at the man with large watery eyes.

The guy sighs and rubs his hand over his face, “How did you even get here? This is a restricted zone.”

“I… I don't know.”, Isaac mutters unsure.

“Get up, Kid. There's no cell reception here. So you'll come with me to the station and then I'll call your parents.”

At that prospect Isaac visibly flinches and curls into himself even more. As he doesn't show any inclination to get up the stranger roughly grabs him under the arm and tries to pull him to his feet.

Isaac tries to pull away and whimpers, fresh tears threatening to overflow.

The stranger must have finally gotten that Isaac is afraid of him because next he crouches down in front of the frightened teen and starts talking in a calm, soothing voice. One you would use to approach an unpredictable, wild animal.

“Isaac, you don't have to be afraid of me. Look at me. I won't do you any harm. I just want to help you.”

At that Isaac cautiously looks up.

“Did you get lost?”

He nods tentatively.

“And you slept out here in the forest? You must be freezing.”

The guy takes off his black leather-jacket and holds it out to him.

“Come on. Just take it.”

Isaac timidly reaches for the jacket and awkwardly puts it on. It's surprisingly warm.

“Okay Isaac. We need to get you out of the woods and somewhere warm. Can you get up?”

Isaac nods and uses the tree behind him to get upright. His limbs are stiff from the cold and he winces at the pain in his foot.

“Good. There's a path just a few feet up the slope. And then it's about half a mile to the station. You think you can walk there yourself or do I have to carry you?”

Isaac is not sure if he can walk all the way to whatever station the other is talking about. Not with the way his leg hurts. But he is a hundred percent sure that he doesn't want to be carried like some weak little child. He is no child anymore. And he most definitely is not weak!

So he grits his teeth, wraps his arms a bit tighter around himself and starts to hobble in the direction where the path lies.

After a few steps he trips over some root and almost crashes to the floor when strong arms catch his fall. He hadn't realized that the guy was walking this close to him. However he is quite relieved now and lets it happen when an arm is silently pushed around his shoulders to help him along the way.

A few minutes later Isaac needs a break. The second one since they got to the path.

“Look. This way it will take us at least an hour to get there.”, the stranger suddenly speaks up. “You're tired and your leg is hurt. Just let me carry you.”

Isaac is feeling uncomfortable at the thought but in the end he nods.

Instead of going for piggyback as Isaac had thought, the guy unceremoniously picks him up bridal style. Neither of them says anything and somehow Isaac ends up dozing off in the strangers arms in the blink of an eye.

He dreams of his brother and how he had once carried him home when he fell from a tree at age six. Back then the world was still mostly in order.

Isaac blinks awake when he is laid down an a shabby couch and covered with some old blanked.

“Hey Isaac, I need to call your parents, they must be worried. Can you give me your number?”

“My parents are dead.” Isaac answers coldly.

The man is a bit taken aback, “You're legal guardians then. What's their number?”

Suddenly Isaac is filled with dread. He doesn't want to go back to the orphanage. Not ever!

He yells that at the stranger and then he shuts down and refuses to say anything anymore. He recoils from the man's touch and rolls in on himself making himself smaller than seems possible for the lanky teenager.

After a few more tries to get something out of him and only Isaac's mumbled litany of `I'm not going back. I'm not going back.´ as an answer the guy gives up exasperated.

“Look, Kid, I have to call someone. You don't talk to me so I'm going to call the police. They can deal with you then.”

Isaac doesn't answer. Frankly he doesn't care.

* * * * *

Jordan is tired. It's past six in the morning and normally his shift would have ended a few minutes ago, but he had agreed to stay longer since there is still no trace of Isaac.

Sheriff Stilinski is currently in his office brooding over maps for the further search. He was out almost the whole night and also had had the morning shift yesterday. Jordan has no idea how he does it and is still awake. He himself is only running on coffee and stubbornness, cursing the fact that he watched mindless TV in the afternoon instead of taking a nap.

Last night he'd had a lot of time to mull over the fact that he would run into someone called Lahey of all things. In the end he came to the conclusion – for the peace of his mind – that it is just a crazy coincident. After all Lahey doesn't sound like a really rare name. And yeah, Camden had been from some town in California – `you wouldn't know it if I told you the name´, he'd said. He never liked to speak of his past or his family except for his little brother Zach sometimes – but there were probably hundreds of Laheys in California, if not thousands. And this boys name was Isaac, not Zach or Zachary.

It was more than unlikely that this Isaac had some connection to Cam, Jordan decided.

Nevertheless he thought he should talk to Mrs. Morell about it if just hearing the familiar name caused him to have such a heavy reaction. Especially when before that he had gone almost a year without any panic attacks.

Back then he had wanted to find out about Cam's family but his superiors had told him they couldn't give him any information since the family had wished not to disclose their location to any of Camden's comrades. What had hurt the most was, that he knew for a fact that Cam hadn't talked to anybody in his family for years, only sometimes writing letters to his little brother. And he often didn't get one back.

In Jordan's mind he had been Camden's family.

And now he didn't even have a grave to visit. By the time he was allowed to leave the hospital after two weeks the funeral was already long past. And Lieutenant Rhys later told him that the family had not wanted anybody from the army to attend.

He made his peace with this.

At least that's what he tells himself, but he knows it is a lie.

He had tried. He really did. But it was impossible for him to move on. Beacon Hills was supposed to be a new start for him. He was set to make it work this time. And then this reminder of his past had to emerge and throw him for a loop.

Jordan made up his mind: He wouldn't allow this to determine and destroy his life.

Not anymore.

***

A few minutes before seven the phone rings and everybody in the room perks up as Jordan answers the call.

“Beacon Hills Sheriff's Department, Deputy Parrish speaking.”

“Here's, uh, Derek Hale from the Beacon Hills Wolf Research Center.”

Jordan deflates a bit and slightly shakes his head to signal his colleagues that it's not from Deucalion's with possible news about Isaac then turns his attention back to the call. “How can I help you Mr. Hale?”

“I found a kid out in the woods near the wolf enclosure...” – Jordan gets up from his seat signaling Deputy Johnson to get the Sheriff and directs the phone to speaker – “...and when I asked for his home-number he completely shut down so I figured I'd best call you. He probably went there as some kind of dare.”

“Do you know what his name is?”

“Isaac. I don't know his last name.”

“Oh thank God!”, the Sheriff takes over. “Here's Sheriff Stilinski. Can you describe him to me?”, he asks just to be sure it's really the right Isaac.

“He's about 15 I think, kinda tall and lanky. He has light curly hair and wears dark clothes.”

“That's him. How is he?”

“His leg is apparently hurt. And he's exhausted and cold.”

“Okay, Son. Where are you at the moment? I'm gonna come and pick him up.”

“We're at the Wolf Research Station at the preserve.”

“Good, stay with him. I'm going to be there in 10.”

“Yes, Sheriff.”

The Call disconnects and the whole room breathes in relief.

“Graeme, you come with me. Johnson you stay. Give Cordova in the other cruiser the all-clear. And call Deucalion's to tell them we found Isaac.”

On his way out the Sheriff pats Jordan on the shoulder. “Good work, Son. You, O'Donnell and Heigh can go home now. We have it from here on.”

While Heigh leaves immediately – he's an insensitive prick, Jordan thinks – O'Donnell and he are staying for a bit, wanting to wait for an update from the Sheriff if Isaac is okay before finally heading home.

* * * * *

Isaac is still curled up on the old couch but he has calmed down since his earlier outburst. The guy – Derek Hale, he had overheard him introduce himself on the phone with the Sheriff – hadn't tried to talk to him again and Isaac isn't sure whether he should be thankful for the silence or not. For one he really doesn't feel like talking, on the other hand the silence makes it hard for him to stay awake.

As exhausted and tired as he is, he can't allow himself to go back to sleep again. Sleeping means being vulnerable. Isaac hates being vulnerable.

It is only a short time after the phone call that a series of loud knocks startles him from his beginning slumber. He is instantly alert and listens to what is happening.

“Mr. Hale?”

“Sheriff, I'm glad to see you. Come inside, he's sleeping on the couch.”

“Tara, can you have a look on Isaac. I want to talk to Mr. Hale here, first.”

“Yes Sheriff.” a female voice answers.

There are steps coming towards him as the Sheriff asks Hale how exactly he found him.

“Isaac? Isaac are you awake?” a motherly voice asks. He nods slightly. “I'm Deputy Graeme, but you can call me Tara. I don't know if you remember, but we've met at the station before.” Isaac doesn't answer.

“Can you please turn around Isaac? I'd like to have a look at you to see if you're hurt.”

Isaac turns around – he actually remembers her when he sees her face – and lets her look at him.

“My foot hurts. The left one.”

“Okay, I'll have a look at it. Is there anything else?”

“No. Just cold and tired.”

Isaac watches as she carefully pulls of his shoe and sock. His big toe is swollen and a bit blueish, but his ankle hurts more.

“I think we need a doctor to have a look at it. I'll talk to the Sheriff about it. Now that I know you're not too seriously hurt, can I ask you a few questions?” Isaac nods. “Can you tell me why you ran away, Isaac?”

“I… I'm not sure. The twins… There was a glass breaking… I don't know. I just ran and the next thing I know I woke up in the forest.” He is shaking and Tara must have noticed because she tells him he is safe now and doesn't have to talk about it at the moment.

***

When the Sheriff is done questioning Hale, they help Isaac to the police-cruiser where Deputy Tara sits with him in the back.

They take him to the Hospital where Nurse McCall is already waiting with a wheelchair to show him to a room. Isaac does protest but against her motherly fussing he is totally powerless.

She brings him into the bathroom so he can clean up a bit and Isaac is shocked at how bad his reflection looks in the mirror. He is clearly exhausted with dark rings under his eyes and his face looks disgusting, covered in dirt and dried snot and tears. He hears the Sheriff talk to Nurse McCall – no doubt about him – as he provisionally washes his face. When he hobbles back into the room Nurse McCall is immediately at his side to help him towards the bed.

“There are some clean clothes that should fit you, Isaac.”, she points at some sweats and a t-shirt that's lied out on the bed. “Dr. Geyer will be with you in a few minutes to look at your foot and check if there is anything else amiss. I'll see that I find you some breakfast while you change.” She gives him a reassuring smile and motions for the Sheriff to follow her outside.

“I'll leave you in Melissa's care. I need to ask you some questions later, Son. But you should get some rest first.”, the Sheriff tells Isaac somehow awkwardly before he leaves Isaac alone in the room.

Isaac is about to pull the t-shirt over his head when there is a knock on the door and it immediately swings open, not waiting for his permission. He scrambles to get it down over the old bruises on his ribs left there by Jackson and Theo some days ago.

“Isaac, right?”, the man that came in (followed by Nurse McCall) holds out his hand for Isaac to shake. “I'm Dr. Geyer. I'm here to have a look at you. Is there anything that hurts?”

“My left foot.” Isaac answers.

“Anything else?”

Isaac shakes his head, “I'm just tired, Sir.”

“Okay, lie down on the bed so I can have a look at it.”

While the doctor looks at and touches his foot, Isaac tries not to wince or let the tears come, but only with moderate success.

“I heard that you slept out in the woods Isaac?”, the Doctor asks.

“Erm, yeah.”

“Melissa, would you take his temperature.” Nurse McCall gets a thermometer and measures inside Isaac's ear.

“Your ankle doesn't seem to be broken, but your big toe is a different story. I'd like to take an X-Ray of your foot, just to be sure. Now sit up please and concentrate on looking at the light.”

Isaac does so as Dr. Geyer tests his eye-reflexes.

“Melissa, schedule an X-Ray, probably a sprained ankle and a broken toe, also slight hypothermia and dehydration as well as general exhaustion. Isaac gets 500 ml of saline with 5 % glucose, intravenous, also hot soup and tea. He can have solid lunch. Also he should rest, if he can't fall asleep give him some flurazepam.”

He turns towards Isaac: “We're gonna keep you here till tomorrow to be sure there's nothing else amiss. Your X-Ray will probably be scheduled in the early afternoon, I'll have a look at you again afterwards. Until then you should rest and sleep.”

The doctor took his leave while Nurse McCall got an IV ready and set up. “I'll bring you some soup in a minute and then you should try to sleep, Isaac. The hospital is weirdly empty at the moment, so you'll have the room to yourself for now. If you need anything else you can call me with this button.” Isaac only nodded.

After drinking the broth Isaac turns on his side and soon falls asleep.

He wakes up when lunch is brought in and again for his X-Ray (it turned out, his big toe is in fact broken and his ankle sprained). And he dimly remembers Ennis from Deucalion's coming by, but otherwise Isaac sleeps all through the day.

***

The problem with sleeping all day – Isaac muses – is, that once you have reached your quota, there is no more sleep to be had. It's nearing six o'clock in the morning and the dark night sky is slowly lighting up, turning into dawn. Isaac has been lying awake since around half past three which has given him lots and lots of time to think.

Lying there in the hospital bed he had mulled over his current situation. And that had only strengthened his resolve never to go back to Deucalion's. He didn't really care if he would move to another group home or where exactly he would go as long as he got away from this miserable place. He even entertained the idea of running off to LA as a last resolve if nothing else worked out. He is sixteen he would probably be able to find some kind of job in the city and he has some money saved to tide him over until then.

Or perhaps he would go to New York. The farther away the better.

He doesn't have a whole lot that's keeping him here anyway. The house he grew up in had still had a mortgage on it and was put up for auction by the bank after is Dad died – Isaac also got a decent amount of money out of it, even when he can only access most of it after he turns eighteen. And anyway, he's not sure he would ever want to set foot in there again.

As for friends there's only Erica and Boyd but since they started dating each other he feels more and more like a third wheel. And, he thinks, as much as they talk about leaving Beacon Hills or running away together they would probably understand.

Then lately there's Stiles and Scott. Well, sort of. They only took an interest in him after the thing with his Dad. And with them – or at least with Stiles – Isaac doesn't feel like a third wheel but more like a pet project. Like he's some kind of kicked puppy rescued from the shelter. He tries to steer clear of them most of the time.

Also, if he went away, there would be no one staring or looking at him with pity in their eyes, nobody whispering behind his back if he was `that boy´ and how awful it was what happened to him or `why didn't he ever say something´ – as if by not saying anything it was all his own fault.

No, he doesn't really want to stay in Beacon Hills and he definitely isn't going back to Deucalion's.

Because as if it's not enough that he has to deal with Jackson and his cronies bullying him at school – Danny is the only decent one of them and even he only stays out of it and doesn't do anything to stop them – he has to live with the twins and Theo, even share a room with Theo, and endure their cruel japes and torture even when he's at `home´ at Deucalion's.

And the adults there aren't any better. Ennis, while not getting physical, yells at them whenever he gets angry – and he gets angry a lot and easily – which reminds Isaac of his Dad and often makes him cower in fear. Kali on the other hand is just cold and apart from some cruel snide remarks mostly ignores whatever bullying is going on directly under her nose. And Jennifer who manages the Boy's Home for Mr. Deucalion is a two faced bitch playing nice and motherly one second just to slap you or scream at you the next. A few years ago there had been some investigation about rumors that Mr. Deucalion uses the Home for money laundering. But that was before Isaac's time there and he doesn't think anything came of it or it would surely have been closed.

So yeah, nothing is holding him here.

He is finally about to doze off again when Mrs. McCall quietly comes in to have a look at him as her morning-shift starts.

Isaac startles her with his “Morning, Nurse McCall.”

“Isaac! Don't scare me like this, I didn't think you'd be awake already.”, she tells him after regaining her composure. “And good morning to you, too. Did you sleep well?”

“Sorry, I didn't want to startle you.”, he answers ruefully, a bit afraid of her reaction.

“Don't worry about it. How long have you been awake? Did you have trouble sleeping?”

“For about … two hours, I think? I did sleep well.”, the `unlike most other nights´ he keeps to himself. “I think I'm just all slept out?”

“No wonder, you slept almost all through the day yesterday.” She is back to smiling at Isaac which puts his earlier worries a bit to rest. “How's your ankle feeling?”

Isaac had tried moving it a bit before and it hurt like hell, bringing tears to his eyes but he doesn't want to seem week so he just shrugs and answers: “Still hurting a bit.”

She gives him a look that says `quit with the macho bullshit you can't fool me´ but before she can say anything Isaac's stomach rumbles. She chuckles a bit. “Right. You must be really hungry by now. Breakfast normally won't be until in a bit over an hour, but I'll see that I get you something right now.”

Isaac wants to protest that she shouldn't bother because of him, that he doesn't want to cause her any inconvenience. But he really is hungry and she levels him with the same look as before so he simply nods.

“I'll be back in a few minutes and then I'll also have a look at your ankle.”

Only a short time later Nurse McCall comes back as promised, bearing a tablet of light hospital-breakfast. She puts it on the bedside table and tells Isaac she wants to look at his ankle now.

Isaac gingerly removes his foot from under the cover and tries not to flinch as she leans closer to inspect it but she is incredibly gently while removing yesterdays dressing. There is an ugly bruise on his ankle and his big toe has an especially ghastly dark purple-violet color, but the swilling has gone down.

“The swelling has gone down, that's good. And your X-ray showed that your toe is broken but your ankle is just sprained.”, she tells him while deftly redoing the bandaging, “Dr. Geyer is off duty spending the weekend fishing with his step-son but Dr. Vandenburg will come by later to examine you. I don't think a cast will be necessary, you'll probably just get a splint and crutches and can already go home today.”

Isaac's stomach clenches at the prospect of having to return to Deucalion's and he wants to protest, tell Nurse McCall that he's not going back there, only his throat tightens and he can't seem to get a word out.

Moments later, she is done redressing his foot and is leaving him alone with an easy smile on her lips and a pat on his shoulder, telling Isaac to eat up and call if he needs anything else.

Isaac stares after her, his appetite gone.

***

A few hours later – he did eat breakfast after all – Dr. Vandenburg comes to see him. While he is there examining him the doctor doesn't really acknowledge Isaac at all, only asking Nurse McCall a few questions as if he wasn't even there. Isaac instinctively dislikes the man.

Then a few minutes after he left Nurse McCall comes back to tell him Dr. Vandenburg has cleared him to go home and she's going to call Miss Blake now.

That's when Isaac can't take it anymore and everything comes up again and is sort of bubbling out. He tells Miss McCall about the bullying he has to endure at School and at Deucalion's. About the adults there and how they don't care at all. About how he ran away after Jennifer Blake smashed a glass against the wall because some squabbling with the twins got on her nerves. And that he never under any circumstances wants to go back there and will only run away if they make him.

Sometime during this outpour he started crying and sometime Miss McCall came over and sat beside him on his bed embracing him and carding her hand through his probably gross hair. And as much as Isaac hates crying and showing weakness he can't stop sobbing into her shoulder thinking that maybe this is somehow okay – Miss McCall sort of rescued him once before after all.

After he regaines his composure Miss McCall doesn't call Deucalion's after all, instead calling Mrs. Yukimura – his case-worker from CPS – and the Sheriff, and Isaac ends up retelling everything once again. At least this time he is able to better contain his emotions.

It feels strange to Isaac to have these three relative strangers stand next to him and talk about him as if he isn't really here, trying to decide his future.

So long he held back about sassily reminding them that he's in the room, too. But only because he's afraid they would leave to confer alone without him. This way he can at least listen to what they're saying.

“If what Isaac told us proves to be true, that would constitute neglect and would give us sufficient grounds to close Deucalion's. And believe me, I will look into this.” Mrs. Yukimura is kind of scary in her determination, “In the meantime I think it would be for the best not to send Isaac back there. The sole problem is, its the weekend and it's going to be nearly impossible for me to find a place for him on this short notice. In other cases I have taken children home myself until I could find something more suitable, but we've had some problems with the electrical wiring and my house looks like a construction site right now.”

“There's another group home in Beacon County, the one at Oak Creek, why not send him there?”, the Sheriff asks.

“Of course I thought of that, Sheriff. Satomi – the manager there – even is an old friend of mine and I know she's a good woman. Unfortunately there's no more place there. There are certain legal restrictions that won't allow her to take in any more children. Not even temporarily.”

“Hmm, couldn't you perhaps keep him here at the hospital for a few more days Melissa?”

“I would, but Dr. Vandenburg already cleared him and even though there are still empty beds I doubt the administration or Dr. Vandenburg will let themselves be talked into it. Now if Dr. Geyer or Dr. Hillard were on duty I could probably convince them, but Vandenburg doesn't like me as it is.” Nurse McCall shakes her head, resigned, “Sorry I don't think I can't help you there. But perha...”

That's the moment when the door bursts open and Scott McCall almost falls into the room: “But Mom, you can! We can take Isaac home with us!”

“Scott.” Nurse McCall sighs exasperated while the Sheriff rolls his eyes. “How many times did I – or the Sheriff – tell you and Stiles not to listen in on confidential conversations? Do I have to ban you from using the PlayStation again? What are you even doing here?”

“Sorry, Mom. I brought you lunch.”, Scott sounds sheepish and holds up a Tupper-box like a peace offering, “But hear me out, we could take Isaac in, he could have the guest-room – nobody uses that anyway – and ride to school with me and Stiles in the mornings.”

“You do know that the guest-room is still full with your fathers junk and Christmas decorations and stuff. And the bed there is still broken from when you and Stiles jumped around on it to test out how much it can take.”

“So? He can sleep in my room until we get to clean the guest-room out. Stiles stays in my room all the time, it'll be just like a sleepover. Please!”

Nurse McCall lets out another exasperated sigh, “It's not that I wasn't thinking about offering that myself. I just wanted to talk to you first. And of course Mrs. Yukimura and Isaac have to consent to this plan.”

“Yes! Mom, you're the best!” Scott fist-pumps before hugging her so hard he's lifting her off the ground. Then he skids over to Isaac: “So Isaac, you in? You're coming to stay with us. What do you say?”

Isaac thinks Scott never looked more like an exited puppy than in this moment with his big lopsided grin and a happy gleam in his eyes. He's not sure how he should survive this exited happiness and Stiles annoying personality when he actually lives with Scott and can't avoid the duo any longer, but on the other hand Nurse McCall is one of the nicest, warmest people he knows and this seems to be his best option right now so he says yes – it will only be for a short time after all.

* * * * *

It's Monday and nearing the end of his shift and still Jordan hasn't been able to work up the courage to ask the Sheriff about Isaac. To get the irrefutable confirmation if Isaac Lahey is in fact not Camden's little brother Zach.

That this is all just a strange coincidence and nothing more.

He almost got his shit together and went in to speak to his boss when Stiles came to the station and walked right in to his father bringing him a healthy lunch in form of some cheeseless vegetable lasagna and a salad. That was more than an hour ago but after their lunch together Stiles didn't leave the station, instead he came over to Jordan and involved him in a pretty one-sided discussion about the change in the depiction of werewolves, vampires and “other creepy creatures” over the years. Talking with Stiles over topics he is passionate about can last for hours as Jordan has been warned by the other deputies. And he'd had his own firsthand experience with this on only his second day working in Beacon Hills when the boy had cornered him about his Dads eating habits and cholesterol levels, going on a long diatribe how officers in law enforcement shouldn't succumb to the media cliché of being lazy, fat and eating only donuts and fast food. Jordan had won the boy over when he told him he lived more or less vegetarian. And while listening to Stiles' rants can be incredibly annoying, there's slow going at the station and Jordan is really thankful for the distraction at the moment, it's easier than talking to the Sheriff about his past and his possible connection to one Isaac Lahey.

Stiles is ranting about the ridiculous depiction of the whole werewolf myth in the eighties movie `Teen Wolf´ when the doorbell announcing visitors goes of and a dark-haired, middle-aged woman enters the station followed by some guy with curly blond hair who seems to cower and hide behind her much smaller frame. He is doing a pretty good job with it, too. Jordan can't really see a lot of him aside from blond locks and that he apparently uses crutches.

Stiles who also gathered that they have a visitor turns around in his office chair so fast he almost falls out of it. He flails a bit before greeting the woman: “Hello Melissa. What brings you here to the station on this beautiful day?”

“Hi Stiles”, she seems exasperated, “Is your father in?”

“He's in his office, just knock before you enter. He's a bit grumpy because I refuse to let him clog his arteries.”

She rolls her eyes at that. “Thanks Stiles. Deputy.”, she greets Jordan with a nod as she passes his desk on her way to the Sheriff's office.

Jordan is taken aback time and again with what familiarity some people (especially Stiles) see and come to the Sheriff's station and the Sheriff himself.

He doesn't have long to wonder about it, because in the next moment the woman is past his desk and than he meets the eyes of the boy following her for just an instant.

These eyes.

These eyes, and lips and cheekbones.

It feels like a punch in the stomach. All air seems to leave Jordan's lungs. And even when it was only for the fraction of a second the boys eyes and features are seared into his brain.

“Who… who was that?”, he presses out once the sheriffs door closes behind the boy and he can't follow him with his view any more. He knows his voice came out somewhat sounding broken but he doesn't care. He has to know.

“That? That was Melissa. Scott's Mom. Ms. McCall? I think I've told you about her? I've definitely told you about Scott. Melissa makes the best meatloaf. If you ever get the opportunity you have to try-”

“Not her. The boy?”, Jordan interrupts Stiles' rambling.

“Oh, that's Isaac. Isaac Lahey, he...”

Stiles goes back to rambling but Jordan doesn't notice anything anymore.

He is lost in his head.
And he is hyperventilating.

***

Somehow Stiles managed to talk him down from his near panic-attack.

The kid must have some experience with this as he used the same techniques and breathing exercises Jordan's old therapist showed him in some of their first sessions.

Once his breathing and heart rate calms down to a more normal level Tara, the only other deputy present, shoves a mug of steaming tea in his still shaking hands and starts rubbing his back in soothing circles.

After about a minute of silent solace Jordan is relieved that she doesn't seem to want to pester him with questions, at least not at the moment.

Stiles on the other hand has no such qualms, as soon as Tara has to go answer the telephone he blurts:

“Dude! What was that all about?”, Tara gives the boy a withering look from afar, “Did I do or say something that triggered you? If so I'm really really sorry. But when I don't know your triggers I can't avoid them. So, sorry man, but please tell me what I did wrong.”

Jordan kind of wants to strangle him for being so damn nosy and having no tact at all. On the other hand it must have been pretty scary for him to suddenly have to deal with Jordan's PTSD. And to think he is responsible for the episode.

“It's not...”, he starts, “It wasn't you. Lahey -” As the name leaves his lips Jordan chokes and has to take a few deep breath.

“Isaac? But how? He didn't even say a word and I'm pretty sure you've never met.”, Stiles frowns.

“No. His – Fuck, this is hard. – His brother. I knew Isaac's brother.” he sighs now that he's gotten it out.

“I didn't even know that he has a brother.”

“Had. His name was Camden. Cam. He died in Afghanistan almost three years ago.”

“Oh.” Stiles seems commiserative.

“I just… Isaac looks so much like him. And then not like him at all. And I didn't know that Cam's family lives here. It just … took me by surprise.” Somehow, even when tears have started running down his cheeks, each sentence gets a little bit easier to say.

“How did you know Camden?”

“We were in the same Unit. He was my best friend. My boyfriend.”, by now he is downright sobbing, “I watched him die. I watched him die and I couldn't do anything.”

Stiles doesn't seem to know how to react to this grown man crying in front of him. In the end he reluctantly puts his gangly limbs around him in an awkward hug.

Stiles is still hugging Jordan when the Sheriff's door opens and Mrs. McCall and Isaac come back out. Mrs. McCall looks at them a bit quizzical but doesn't comment as she holds the door open for Isaac.

Jordan follows them across the room with his eyes but he stays tongue-tied, unable to produce a single sound until Isaac is halfway out the door. Then he jumps up, shaking Stiles' embrace and calls after the leaving boy:

“Zach.”

* * * * *

Isaac freezes right in the doorway as he hears this name. Then he turns around, wide eyed, to look at the strange deputy that called him that.

“Only my brother ever called me that. Who are you?”, he asks.

“I… I knew your brother. Back in the Army. My name's Jordan Parrish. Maybe we could meet up sometime and talk?”

* * * * * * *

They've met each other.

Now they have to figure it out on their own.

There's nothing else I can do.

* * * * * * *

It has been about three months since Jordan moved to Beacon Hills and only slightly less since he first met Isaac. And it have been some surprisingly good moths for him. He likes his Job, his boss and (most of) his colleagues. He likes his life in the small town of Beacon Hills and he actually made some friends: Derek Hale, who is really a nice guy despite all his scowling and gruffness and really passionate about his work with the wolves; Tara Graeme, his compassionate but staedfast fellow deputy, as well as her husband George; his downstairs neighbor Stacy; Stiles, his boss' sometimes annoying son; Melissa McCall and her son Scott. And of course Isaac Lahey, Cam's little brother.

Some of them – Isaac, Melissa, Scott, the Sheriff and Stiles – are currently waiting for him as he pulls into the parking lot at Beacon Hills Cemetery. He has been visiting Camden's grave a lot since moving here and finding out where exactly Cam found his final resting place.

Normally he came alone, but today was a special day, the third anniversary of Camden's death and when he was at the McCalls for dinner the previous week it had been decided they should come visit together and hold some small ceremony of sorts in remembrance of his boyfriend and Isaac's brother. Neither he nor Isaac had wanted there to be something big with lots of people or a priest to be present so it was just the six of them walking down the graveled path mostly in silence.

When they get there Jordan places the flower-bowl he brought with him next to the headstone. It is planted with blue columbine flowers and lighter blue, little forget-me-nots –. Jordan remembers Cam telling him that his Mom liked columbines and that their garden was always full of them in all manners of different colors when he was a child. It was one of the very few stories Camden ever shared with him about his childhood or his family and Jordan holds the memory dear.

Melissa leads them through a prayer and Isaac lights a candle for his brother. Then the Sheriff asks if somebody wants to say a few words. But nobody really does. Or rather nobody knows what to say, so they just stand together in silence for a few minutes.

When Stiles begins to fidget a little the Stilinskis and McCalls turn to leave. Isaac and Jordan stay for a little while longer both wallowing in their memories of Camden Lahey.

***

“So,” Isaac starts on the way back to the car, “Danny told me that he saw you at `Jungle´ with Hale. Is there anything going on between you two?”

“Me and Derek? No, we're just friends.”

“You know, Stiles has a big crush on Derek. He's almost as bad as he was about Lydia.”

“I know. I've heard him talk enough about `hot, grumpy Wolfman´ at the Station to last me for years. And honestly, I can sort of see the appeal in that. Derek is hot – objectively speaking.”

“But?”

“I'm not sure if I'm there yet. And I don't think Derek is either. He also has a difficult past, you know.” Then in a lighter tone he adds: “Also it's just too funny to watch Stiles make an ass of himself.”

“You mean even more of an ass than usual.”

“He's kind of a goof, right?”

“Yeah. But he's a good guy. He helped me babysit Deputy Tara's girls last week, he's great with kids. – Don't tell him I said that or he will be insufferable”

“I wont. Scouts honor.” Jordan promises him while mimicking the hand sign.

“Were you even ever a boyscout?”, Isaac asks, raising his eyebrow.

“Actually I was for a few months. My little brother wanted to be a boyscout and my Mom made me go along with him. I didn't like it and quit again pretty soon...”

Jordan slightly nudges Isaac's shoulder with his own: “What about your love-life, Zach? Is there anybody you like?”

“Uh…” Isaac hesitates. Then he collects all his courage and tells Jordan: “Yeah. There's this girl I like.” He feels a slight blush creeping up on his cheeks. “She's really great. Beautiful and smart and funny. And she can be a real bad-ass. I've seen her obliterate a guy twice her size in a karate demonstration once, but she's always nice to me ...”

“And? Have you told her you like her? Or asked her out?”

“No.” Isaac sounds resigned. “I don't think that would be a good idea.”

“Why not? Does she have a boyfriend?”

“No. Not at the moment...”

“What's the problem then?”

“You know how Melissa – Mrs. McCall – took me in and I live with her and Scott now?”

Jordan rolls his eyes: “Of course I know. I've only been invited over for dinner by her three times – in the last week. Sometimes I think she kind of wants to adopt me too.”

“Right...” - because apparently that's a thing now, talking about adoption, about making him an official member of the McCall family. Isaac can still hardly believe it himself. Sometimes he wonders how he deserves to be so lucky or when the other shoe is about to drop.

“I can't imagine her having a problem with you dating someone, if that's what you mean.”

“It's not. Melissa isn't the problem. The girl I like – Allison – she's Scott's ex.”

“Oh. Yeah I see how this makes the situation a bit difficult. But if you really like her I think you should go for it. Maybe make sure Scott's over her first and then ask her out.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. Sometimes you have to do what's best for you. Even if it means taking a chance. And even if it doesn't work out in the end.”

“Okay?” Isaac is still skeptical.

“I don't think I told you how your brother and I started dating. I took a pretty big chance there – I mean `Don't ask, don't tell´ has been repealed for a few years now but there were still some backwards officers and comrades and technically he was more senior and all that... But even though the last years since he died were incredibly hard, I never regretted making that first step and getting to know him.”

“So I had just been transferred to Cam's unit after basic training...” Jordan continues telling his story as they make their way homewards.

* * * * * * *

They're moving on, finally at a normal pace.

No more running away.

And I can rest in peace.

At Last .