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Stiles closed his eyes. He wasn't surprised it had come to this. Not really. Not considering everything that had happened already. Werewolves, Kanimas, and Hunters - oh my.
It had all started at the lacrosse game. Stiles had been so happy – he had finally had the chance to play, his dad’s excitement for him was contagious. Not only that, they had actually won because of him. No, thinking about it really if he was being honest with himself, it started that night when half a body had been found in the woods. If he had never gone to Scott's and dragged his best friend out, his life would be very different right now. Stiles was a curious person, he hated not knowing what was happening. He often drove his Dad crazy with his with his talent for meddling in things he shouldn't. Well, for most people ignorance might be bliss. But Stiles was not most people.
Which had all lead Stiles to his current situation. He tried to move, but he was bound and tied on the floor. He winced in pain as he moved, sharp and stinging all over. Gerard may be old but he had done a very decent job of breaking Stiles. Which had been surprising, and not in a good way. He had been thrown in a dark space, away from Erica and Boyd. Not like he could help them anyway, and they couldn't help him. It was a depressing thought that they might all die here. And for what? Stiles sighed. His Dad would be so heartbroken if he let himself die like this. Everything was the worst.
He was smart enough to know that despite everything, he could get out of this alive. Hell, he had survived a lot of things by now that most people would have let get the better of them. He had seen it before. He had also seen his Dad trying and failing to cope with his mother's death. He knew, better than most, that death was hardest for the people left standing. The ones who had to go on like everything was fine, when nothing could be further from the truth.
Basically it came down to the fact that Stiles was far too stubborn to let this shit win. He refused to be the reason he made his Dad's life even sadder, more painful, more difficult. Without him who would make sure his Dad ate right? Who would help him? And who would make sure Scott didn't get himself killed? And there was just no way he was having all of that guilt on his head. Besides, he wasn't going to let the hunters win. They had done enough damage as it was. They started it all. Stiles was determined to end it. Enough.
Scott would trace his scent, but he wasn't sure where he was or how long that might take. Gerard would want to use him like the others. But Stiles wasn't some damsel in distress. Stiles looked around the dark space, forcing his eyes to adjust so he could try to and find something that he could use to free himself. He wiggled against his ropes, testing them just in hope. But nope, Gerard had done kind of a stellar job with the rope tying. He was going to need something sharp to help him out here. For a moment, Stiles wished he were a werewolf. Claws would be so useful right now. As his eyes adjusted to the dark space, Stiles took in whatever he could. It was a fairly small space, without much of anything useful lying around.
Which was of course when he heard noises coming from somewhere in the house. Stiles automatically started to worry about who it might be and what might happen. Would they even be able to find him here? Stiles was beginning to suspect he was actually locked in some secret passageway behind a closet – he couldn’t deny that was cool – but it also made it a hell of a lot harder for anyone to find him.
Stiles decided to do the only thing he could. He slowly dragged himself along the floor to where he was guessing the entrance to the passageway was. It was slow progress, even slower than when he'd tried to get to his dad at the police station. (It had been a really crappy year for being kidnapped, Stiles was so over it.) Stiles finally reached where he thought the passageway opened. He really wished he had his hands free right now. Stiles silently swore that when he got out of this he would never take his hands or legs for granted again.
Stiles did the only thing he could, he hit what he thought was the entrance with his head. Oww. And then of course he kept repeating this till suddenly the space he was hitting his head slid open. Stiles grinned, pleased with his solo stealth rescue tactics. But of course when he looked up, he saw that the wall had been slid opened with some assistance.
“Stiles!? What?” Derek asked him, his usual glower on his face.
Stiles rolled his eyes, because apparently this was his life. “Hi Derek. Don’t mind me. Just trying to make sure I didn’t get left in this hallway to die. Nothing major. Wanna help a guy out with some stubborn ass ropes?”
Derek's expression softened slightly, and thankfully he went and cut through Stiles ropes with his claws, quickly and efficiently. He tried to grab Stiles wrists, as if to check if he had been hurt there.
Stiles pulled away. “I’m fine, thanks for asking. I only had my ass kicked by an 80 year old man, who left me pretty much to die in some forgotten corner of his house. I had to watch poor Erica and Boyd be tortured. And I am pretty sure I will never be able to explain any of this to my Dad. But yeah I’m doing great Derek, how’s your day?!?!”
Derek just scowled further at his sarcasm. “Stiles, I’m.......” He paused, sighed and took a deep breath. “Gerard is going to pay for what he did here today. I told your Dad. About everything. So right now he should be arresting Gerard and throwing his ass in jail for the foreseeable future.”
It was the most words Stiles had ever heard Derek use and he just stared at him, shocked by the words, as well as his actions. He knew what it meant sharing the secret of this world with his Dad, and the fact that Derek was still in one piece meant his Dad was bound to ask him a ton of questions later. Later, Stiles was going to need to know later exactly how that conversation went down. He felt a huge sense of relief that he could finally stop lying to his Dad. He knew his Dad would be a good ally to the pack.
Stiles had never seen Derek look at him the way he was now. He wasn’t sure what it meant, if anything. Stiles grinned, the pain easing away with his happiness and stepped into the light.
Derek's face looked slightly concerned, which was freaking Stiles out. “Hurry up dude, I wanna see my Dad through Gerard in jail!” Stiles smiled at Derek reassuringly, and Derek gave a small smile back, shaking his head.
All Stiles could think of was how this day was awesome, in spite of everything.