Chapter Text
There was a sense of anxiety and pressure in his lungs as Stiles drove back to California. The quiet loud hum of Roscoe’s engine and the never ending ringing in his ears was driving him crazy. He quickly reached over and threw open the glove box. Keeping his eyes half on the road and taking his foot off the gas, he quickly searched for a cassette. Finally he spotted the plastic container and ‘gently’ shoved it into the stereo. There was a click and soft static before the first song hit. The first few notes of Led Zeppelin's “Ramble On” made him smile and shake his head. Dad.
Stiles slowly hummed along to the song as it eased the pain in his chest. The open road was becoming a comfort for him as he watched fields go by. Bet Dad would have a field day with the idea of his kid loving the road. He tapped his fingers on the wheel with the beat of the music.
For a while Stiles went through the motions of driving until he saw a figure in the distance. The closer he got the more he could make out a girl on the side of the road. Stiles slowed down as he realised she had a thumb out. Yes or No, Roscoe? If Stiles pulled over because he ‘lost’ a fight with his car, he will never admit it. He rolled down his window as the girl walked up.
“Need a ride?” Stiles noticed her blonde hair and blue eyes. She looked young to be out here in the literal middle of nowhere.
The girl rolled her eyes. “Duh.” She quickly opened the door and climbed inside.
“Uh.” …………… “You shouldn’t be trus-
“I can handle myself now are you going to drive or?” Stiles stared at the girl. Wait until Dad finds out I met a mini him. Stiles swallowed and put the car into gear.
“Seatbelt.” He muttered as he pulled back on the road. Can’t blame someone for wanting to follow some of the safety rules.
The silence was driving Stiles up the wall. He didn’t dare to move to flip over the ended tape, even though the girl was staring out the window. “I’m Stiles.” And I’m not a murderer. Just your friendly neighbourhood Nephilim. He tapped on the wheel trying to calm his nerves.
The girl looked over at him with a glare. Stiles could tell she was weighing her options before she made a decision. “Claire.”
At least we are getting somewhere. “Ok, so where are you headed?” Claire narrowed her eyes at him. “I mean I am the one driving, unless you’re good with passing two state lines.” wow not creepy at all Psota. Stiles frowned shifted uncomfortably under Claire’s gaze
“Broadwater.” Stiles lifted an eyebrow. Is that supposed to mean something? Claire shook her head and took out a map from the satchel she was carrying. I swear she didn’t have that when I picked her up . “If you just follow this road until after about Kadoka and take a left then you should be there.”
Stiles took a glance at the map to see more than 100 miles between Kadoka and Broadwater. ‘ Just take a left’…This is going to be a long trip.
Stiles was a talker. Everyone knew that so it wasn’t soon before he found something to talk about. “I mean my dad grew up on the road so we hang out at our family friend’s over the summer. I mean it’s not perfect, but with his work it works for us. The whole travel and not settling must be tiring, but he does it for a good cause.” Stiles shrugged, he really just wanted to end the silence.
“Where’s your mom?” Stiles almost didn’t pick it up.
“Oh um…he’s kind of on a work trip. He kind of left my dad for a ‘project’ with a ‘buddy’.” Stiles could feel his teeth grinding against each other. Not a lie if you just rephrase it.
“My dad left.” Stiles felt like he had been shot. Shit I just spent the last 30 mins rambling about my dad. “Not that it matters. He was a bit of a dick.”
Stiles nodded. “Well you had your mom right?” Please don’t let me be a total asshole.
“She disappeared one day.” Shit. You should really just shut your mouth Psota. “I’m trying to find her.”
“On your own. Aren’t you like 12?” Stiles took a quick glance at Claire, as if to judge her age.
“I’m 13 and what aren’t you like 23? Picking up little girls must be your pastime.” Claire glared at him. Stiles shook his head; he was speechless.
WOW… ”I’m 16 for your information and if it wasn’t for me, you would still be walking in the middle of nowhere. You could have been easily picked up by someone worse.” Stiles saw her eye roll and fought back one of his own.
“...” Stiles sighed. “Are you sure your mom is in Broadwater?”
Claire looked back out the window. “No.” Stiles swallowed and chewed his lip. It was hard to not be able to help someone. He couldn’t just say ‘oh well you can crash at my place’. “But it doesn’t matter.”
The rest of the trip was silent besides Claire giving navigation once in a while. She navigated him to a motel. He pulled in and put the car in park. Stiles quickly got a piece of scratch paper and a pen.
“If you ever need something, call me.” Stiles handed Claire his number as she jumped out. Claire gave a quick nod and walked off.
Stiles watched as she walked into the office. Slowly he changed gear and pulled out of the parking lot. Stiles watched the motel slowly go out of view as he drove down the road.
There was a click in the stereo as Stiles finally turned the tape over.
It wasn’t until the outskirts of Las Vegas did he realise why Claire seemed so familiar. Crap…please just let it be a coincidence. When has it ever been a coincidence? …Welp #officallyworst(technically ‘step’?)brother.
Stiles stopped at the gas station at the edge of Blue Diamond. He stood and looked out at the skyline of Las Vegas. It was beautiful to look at, but Stiles couldn’t help but wonder. How many things are part of the supernatural? Ghosts? Maybe there’s sirens. Has anyone ever hunted there? Stiles let his mind roll as he leaned against the gas pump. It was probably the last gas station along the California border until Carson City.
It was nice out in the desert, besides the storms of dirt. Finally the pump clicked. Stiles closed his gas tank and locked the car. He turned around just to see a small dust devil go by. Really don’t like the dirt.
The drive up to Carson City wasn’t long (he’s lying to himself), but he did run out of tapes to play. (Like a day ago. Ok, whatever, you can listen to something twice .) Stiles took to every kid’s favourite game; searching the radio.
For the last two hours Stiles switched from pure static to meditation, rock to christian rock (don’t ask), pop to heavy metal, a random news station to an educational station, and even getting stuck in between distorted Mexican music and a cult-like station. Yeah don’t ask how he was able to find them in the middle of nowhere because he doesn’t know either. Just as he got closer to Carson City, he found a nice rock station; it was mostly background music, but he would tap his fingers to the beat. He kept his eyes open for a diner.
As he found a parking spot at a small diner his phone rang.