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The week has been tiresome. Derek and Scott were at each others necks because they couldn't agree on a plan to stop a witch who was leaving them dead bodies all through out town. She took away lives in a sacrificial ritual for some power gain, and kidnapping people to kill them in a later date. Derek wanted to kill the witch, but Scott was against it, saying how he wanted to save the people she took away first.
When the witch started the killings, everyone went to end her quickly, but when Scott broke one of her arms, all of the victims had their arms broken too. She has bound their lives to her until their sacrifice, so should anything happen to her, they will follow the same affliction. The witch escaped that night. Lydia and Stiles tried to find anything in their books to unbind the people to the witch. When they went to Deaton for help, he said that only the witch can unbound them. As if that wasn't difficult enough, he also said they have until the new moon to stop her, which was a week away.
On the new moon, she would be able to sacrifice all of the people in one go, instead of one every few days. The time limit is what caused the rift between the two alphas. Everyday until the new moon, everyone was trying to think of something, an alternative. Boyd, Isaac, and Erica called every witch, sorcerer, mage, anyone with the power to use magic for a way to free those people. Lydia and Stiles always had their noses in ancients tomes to find a solution. Allison and Kira used all of their family resources to see if they were any records of such a spell. Jackson was the lap dog during this time, going and get everyone drinks and food while they exhausted themselves. No one was able to find anything, but Scott continued to say that there is a way to save them, and while everyone wanted to believe him, they knew that their chances became slim with every passing day.
The night of the new moon came and everyone was tense. They couldn't find a solution and now it looks like their only option was to kill her before the sacrificing happened, denying her of the power. The fight was utter chaos, the people that she kidnapped were being forced to fight them. No one was able to get close enough to her unless they decided to severely injure the innocent people. Even if they had no way to saving them in the end, they didn't want to spill blood, innocent blood on their hands. They didn't want to accept that fate that these people couldn't be saved, even to the very end. There was a hard call to be made, and even though Derek has been advocating for the death of the witch, no one wanted to do it.
Seeing this, the internal conflict everyone was facing, Stiles decided to take the burden. He and his father have been practicing together in the shooting range once the Sheriff learned of the world of werewolves and the supernatural. Now, Stiles goes to every battle with a gun in hand. He raises his arm, aimed the shot, and pulled the trigger. The witch fell flat to the ground, a bullet hole right in her forehead, and everyone she has stolen fell to the ground with a bullet wound on their heads. Everybody froze, looking at the bodies on the ground and slowly round their eyes at Stiles. Scott looked the most pained of them all, but no one made a sound.
Stiles shifted his weight on his legs before putting away the gun. “We should get rid of the bodies before dawn. I brought some materials to make a ring of fire. Put them there and they'll be nothing but ash.” He made way to the jeep, taking out the duffel bag, and walked to the open space next to the dead witch. It took a few moments after he started drawing the circle for people to start moving. For the next ten minutes, no body spoke.
The witch didn't go for small numbers, there must be at least fifteen bodies piled up. In the pile, it was easy to see an old man and woman with wrinkles and loose skin. A few teen girls and boys, some Stiles recognize from school. There was a lady in a suit, a man in running gear, some people with hospital gowns. The rest were in the bottom of the pile and Stiles couldn't see who they were.
--
Boyd is walking slowly to the circle, gingerly holding a little girl who couldn't be older than 8 years old. She had tanned skin, curly hair, and freckles across her nose. Boyd, he looked pained as he stared at the child. It reminded him to much of his late sister and he couldn't bear seeing her lifeless body amongst the carnage. Erica stood by him, slowly easing her hand onto his arm.
“Boyd, we don't have a choice.” She said gently, rubbing her hand softly up and down his arm.
He tensed, clenching his jaw and squeezing his eyes shut. He couldn't move, he can't place her down on the ground, can't have the image of the girl being dead in the pile, like if she was just a number. It will forever be burned in his memory, a reminder of how they failed.
“The sooner you put her down, the easier it'll be.” Erica tried again. She snaked her arms around his waist, holding onto him tight so he doesn't feel lost in all of this.
Stiles rose up from finishing the circle. “We can give her a proper rest. After I burn these bodies, we can bury her and use her burial as a plot for a rose bush to grow. She'll bring new life so her death wouldn't be countless. It's the best we can do on short notice.” Boyd opens his eyes and nods, stepping away from the ring before the fire starts and Eric goes with him.
Stiles pulls out a lighter from his pocket, lighting up a flame and tossing it to the edge of the ring. A roaring fire springs up to the trees, engulfing everything in it's wake. Everyone stares for the minutes it takes before all of the bodies become nothing but ash. Derek went to the camaro and pulled out a shovel from the trunk, digging a hole between two trees. With the burial dug, Stiles takes out some powder and herbs, placing them in the plot. Boyd comes over and delicately places the girl in the ground.
Lydia walked back to her car during the fire and came back holding a beautiful fabric of purple. She watched as Derek digged, waiting for Stiles to make the preparations and Boyd laying the girl down before walking over.
“I was going to use this for a new dress, but I would rather use it to cover her instead.” She bends down, laying the sheet over the girl.
When they stepped away, Derek began to fill the hole. Erica has herself wrapped around Boyd's arm, resting her head on his shoulder. Scott, Allison, Isaac, and Kira are standing in the back watching everything happen. Lydia is hugging herself, staring at the ground were the girl is left to rest.
Everyone's face are grim and tired. The night air is cold, the wind caressing them as it makes it's way through the trees. Only the sound of a shovel lifting dirt and the rustling of leaves are heard, as if all life has suddenly fled the grounds.
When the burial is done, Stiles lowers himself onto the his knees and places his hands onto the turned soil. He focuses for a few seconds until he felt the flow of life coming from the ground. As he removes his hand, the beginnings of a shrub breaches the soil and starts to sprout. Within a minute, a fully grown rose bush emerges and blooming.
“It's time to go, we all need some rest from tonight.” Derek says, making his way to the camaro. Slowly, everyone followed. The pile of ash has been scattered away by the wind, all through out the grounds.
Stiles sits in his Jeep, hearing everyone else drive away with their cars as he stared where the ashes once were. He doesn't know how longed he was sitting there, and then her heard someone knocking on his window. Turning, he sees Derek standing there with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.
“I thought you left.” Stiles said as he started to lower down the window.
“I almost did, but seeing your face I decided to stay a little longer. I gave Isaac the keys so he can drive Boy and Erica back home. If you don't mind, you're my ride for the night.”
Stiles shrugs, “It's whatever, but I'm ok. Just waiting for the morbid feeling to go away, you know.”
Derek mouth is a flat line, his eyes searching around Stiles' face. “There was nothing to be done for them.”
“I know, Derek. We all knew that, but no one was doing anything about it. They didn't want to do anything about it. The minute that bitch took control of their lives, they were dead but nobody wanted to accept that. There was just to many people, Derek. No matter how hard Scott believed, there was no hope for them.” He lets go of a deep sigh, resting his head against the car seat. “Hell, I didn't even want to accept it.”
The passenger opens and closes, Derek slipping inside and sitting on the passenger seat. Stiles is waiting for Derek to say or do something, and Derek is clenching and opening his hands, thinking of what to say. They sit in silence.
“Want to go eat some curly fries?” The words spill out of his mouth, before he can even think it. Stiles furrows his eyebrows, he definitely wasn't expecting that.
“What?” Stiles responds, the word coming out adrift as Stiles.
“The diner on the corner of Sunset is open 24/7. If you want.”
–
At the diner, Stiles just sit and stares at Derek. He's thinking of it like a game, figuring out what Derek is trying to do or even say. But Derek doesn't know what he wants to say half the time, he's trying to alleviate the night anyway he can. If Derek even knew how, he wouldn't be as broken as he is.
“You don't have to do this you know. I'll be fine on my own. We've been through a hell of a lot already, it makes us mentally stronger to face all of the shit that we do. This will go away, Derek.”
“But you shouldn't have to do it on your own.” Derek grits out. “Stiles...” He huffs. “Trying to handle it alone only makes it worse.” The food arrives before Stiles can say anything back. He eats silently, thinking over Derek's words.
“So what should I do.” He asks Derek, not looking up from his plate.
“Talk to someone before it settles. You were keeping yourself together out there because you had to, but had you gone home, then it would of hit you. There wouldn't be anyone there to help because your father has the night shift.”
“Is that what happened to you, when you first came back to Beacon Hills?” Derek stays silent, but nods his head.
“You saw what that did to me, you thought I was a killer. It's what happens when you are left battling your burdens alone. I was better before because I had Laura, but then I was left on my own.” He scarfs down the last of his burger, wiping his mouth away and settling his hands on the table. “I'll listen, if you want. I'm here for you.”
Stiles swallowed, his throat suddenly felt dry. “Thank you.” He says to Derek, quietly.
–
They finished their food and walked out of the diner. Derek began to slow down his steps, stopping before the Jeep. Stiles turns around and looking quizzically at him.
“You do a lot for everyone Stiles, it's ok to let someone do the same to you.” He walks, stopping only inches away from Stiles. He raises his hands and places them on Stiles arms. “The last person to even think of me was family, until you did. Believe it or not, it helped me. I don't want you to be hurt because I wasn't there for you like you were for me. It won't feel right.”
Stiles' breathe became shaky. He doesn't know what those words mean, what exactly Derek was telling him, but for now he just wants to feel ok. He leans in, resting his head on Derek's chest. Arms wrap around him, holding him tight. It feels warm, welcoming, and safe. All he can smell is Derek, and never did he that that will be such a relieving smell. Derek has his nose just above Stiles' ear, breathe out warm air against his neck, taking the smell of Stiles.
“Is it ok if you stay over tonight? I'll need the company.” The words become muffled on Derek's chest.
“Whenever you want, Stiles. I'm here for you.”
And he is.