Nightmares

14

Tabitha tossed and turned in her sleep. Her nightmares were plagued with a crazy Alpha, a strawberry blonde, blood, and herself.

She screamed, seeing Peter attack her, then Lydia, and woke up with a sudden start.

Micah rushed into his daughter's room to try to console her, but couldn't.

He called Stiles and said, "You've always been able to calm Tabitha down. She had a bad nightmare. Can you come by? I'll leave the door unlocked."

Stiles threw on a pair of shoes. He grabbed his keys and drove to the Young house. He entered through the front door, which Micah had left unlocked for him, and made his way to Tabitha's room.

Micah was still trying to console his daughter and looked up to see Stiles who said, "I got this. You get some sleep."

He nodded and left the room.

Stiles sat next to Tabitha who automatically put buried her head in his chest and he stroked her hair. "Wanna tell me what the nightmare was about?"

"Peter and claws," she whispered. "And -- he-"

"Shh. Tabi, it's okay. Peter's gone. You're safe."

"Safe," she repeated quietly.

Stiles' arm suddenly felt wet and he glanced down at Tabitha, gently moving her head back to see tear-stained cheeks. He dried them and smiled. "Tabi, you're okay now."

"Can you stay please?"

"'Course I'll stay." His voice dropped so she couldn't hear. "You know I'd do anything for you, Tabitha."

He started to make a bed on the floor and Tabitha said, "No. Please, I just need to be held."

Stiles' heart jumped at her words and he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. Sure. Uh, whatever you need." He climbed into her bed and she cuddled into him, soon falling asleep.

---

At school the next morning, Tabitha walked between Lydia and Allison. Allison looked at Tabitha and Lydia. "You really don't remember anything? Tabitha, do you remember?"

Tabitha shook her head. "Thank God, no. But if I did, why would I tell you?"

Lydia shook her head. "They call it a fugue state, which is basically a way of saying "We have no idea why you can't remember running through the woods naked for two days." But personally, I don't care. I lost nine pounds. Be nice, Tabitha."

Tabitha let out a sharp sigh and asked, "You ready for this? I'm pleased to hear about the nine pounds, Lydia."

Lydia looked at Allison. "Please. It's not like my aunt's a serial killer."

They entered the school and everyone turned to look at them, zoning in on Lydia and Tabitha with a cold silence. Allison offered them a smile. "Maybe it's the nine pounds."

Tabitha had time before class, so she decided to head out to the lacrosse field. She wanted, no she needed to avoid the judgmental stares as much as possible.

Scott and Stiles were acting more weirder than usual. Normally, she'd ignore it, but she was worried, and frankly, curious. Scott knocked a guy down and Tabitha's eyes widened as Coach cried, "Usually the goalie stays somewhere within the vicinity of the actual goal."

"Yes, Coach," Scott answered, making his way back to the goal.

"Let's try that again."

Scott repeated his previous action and Coach yelled, "McCall! The position's goalkeeper. Not goal abandoner."