Stay with Me (Stalia)

Chapter 29

Scott and the Sheriff found themselves in front if the Stilinski household. Scott wasn't exactly sure what he had been expecting, but it looked normal. The house was lit up and they could hear the sound of distant voices and laughter. Scott knew that this was it, inside they would find the current Stiles trapped in his fantasy. He paused before entering to clarify something with the Sheriff.

"We have to play along with the fantasy until we can get Stiles alone. If it's like last time we'll have to sit through dinner." Scott said, watching the Sheriff's expression closely. The Sheriff had a very guarded look on his face like he was feeling a variety of emotions but didn't want to show them. He was hiding them well, but Scott could smell the anxiety and fear.

"What do we do once we get him alone?"

"Talk to him, try to break him out of this false world as delicately as possible. I know he can tell that something isn't right. He is a smart and suspicious person. But his unwillingness to lose his mother again is keeping him from admitting it to himself."

"I can't say I really blame him. I just hope I am able to help him out if it."

"Me too," Scott said wincing as he was reminded yet again that this was Stiles last chance.

"Well here goes nothing," the sheriff said with a poor attempt at a smile. Scott stepped forward and pulled open the door.

"Wait, he actually asked that?" They heard Stiles say in the distance.

"Yep, he asked if Rosetta Stone was the black lady on the bus."

"Oh my god." Stiles gasped struggling for breath as he laughed.

"Yeah I honestly didn't know how to respond..." Claudia cut off when they stepped into the kitchen. "Oh honey I didn't even hear you come in." She stepped forward to kiss her husband. The Sheriff remained frozen to the spot for a moment before wrapping his arms around Claudia and kissing her back. When they broke apart Claudia turned to Scott. "Hi Scott, you staying for dinner?"

"There was a huge pileup on 115 so Melissa is going to be laid up for a while and asked if we could feed Scott." The Sheriff interjected before Scott could open his mouth. Scott raised a surprised eyebrow at the ease of which the Sheriff lied to his wife.

"Of course. We always have room at our table." Claudia said as she turned back to the stove. 

"Unfortunately, I got really good at lying to her when she got sick," The Sheriff muttered under his breath in response to Scott's eyebrow. Scott felt a pang of sadness for what the Sheriff and his best friend had gone through. 

"What caused the pileup?" Stiles asked. Scott turned to really look at his friend for the first time. He didn't like what he saw. Stiles was pale and looked like he hadn't slept in days. But the worst part was the expression on his face as he looked at Scott. It was full of anxiety, suspicion, and fear. The only other time Stiles had looked at him with fear in his eyes was back when Scott had experienced his first full moon and had snapped and thrown Stiles against the wall. When Scott had calmed down and looked back at his friend he vowed to never put that look back on his face ever again.

But now here it was and Scott knew that Stiles remembered what had happened last time Scott was In his head. Stiles knew something bad was happening to him, but he was still fighting it with everything he had.

"A drunk idiot was driving in the wrong direction." The Sheriff responded to what his son had asked. 

"Dinners ready!" Claudia announced, saving them from more questions.

"Looks delicious sweetie," the Sheriff said as Claudia placed a heaping bowl of ground beef on the table next to every taco topping imaginable.

"Dig in" she replied with a laugh.