fixing things (shouldn't be this complicated) [Teen Wolf]

Third Step, Or, Warp Speed Ahead [1]

A/n: Again, this story was written before we knew anything about S3. Read all parts of this story with this in mind.

:-:-:-:

Scott's expression is grim as he looks at Stiles. "You can do this, right?" he asks.

"Yeah, yeah," Stiles answers, looking away. He knows he can't, but they literally have no other plan. The Alpha pack's knocked Derek out and taken him prisoner, doing who knew what with him. Without Derek, there's nothing else. Even with Jackson back, without an Alpha of their own, they're screwed.

"Stiles..."

No, no, no. Now is not the time to show how introspective you actually are, Scott. "I can do it," Stiles snaps, swinging towards his Jeep. "There's no time to second-guess, we have to do this!"

"Stiles!" Scott grabs Stiles by the shoulder. Stiles winces as Scott's hand digs into the bruise on his collarbone. "Sorry, man!" Scott snatches his hand back. Stiles shrugs and waves it off, but Scott says, "Dude—"

Stiles turns back with, "What, Scott? If you hadn't noticed, we're short on time!"

"I know," Scott says. "But I just wanted to say..." He swallows. "I wanted to say thanks. I know I've been a shitty best friend and I haven't been there for you when you needed me—"

"No, really, Scott?" Stiles gripes. Yeah, their argument had really been an eye-opener for Scott, and Stiles was glad Scott was trying harder, but the fact that Scott had abandoned him at all still smarted.

"—but I've seen you be there for everyone else," Scott continues, undeterred. "You're always there, trying to get us all alive through this. We wouldn't have come this far without you."

"Scott, what—" Scott is pretty introspective, yeah, even if most people don't realize it (what, you thought they're best friends because of Stiles's ability to mock Scott endlessly? Pffft), but this is...unexpected. Stiles's heart is suddenly beating in his ears, for Scott's eyes are oddly intense as he steps up to Stiles again. Warning bells start clanging in Stiles's brain.

"I'm trying to say thanks, man," Scott says solemnly. He can't hold the straight face for long though. "Your face, dude, you look like a rabbit in a werewolf's sights!"

"Oh, ha ha, Scott, very funny." Stiles rolls his eyes. Scott smiles, but it's oddly solemn, and the smile fades quickly.

"Seriously, though," he says. "Thanks."

"Eh, what are friends for." Stiles shrugs. "And seriously we really, really need to get this terrible, no good, very bad plan moving. I'll see you after, and we need to have a talk about how you need to stop being like Derek and creeping people out!"

"Sure, Stiles!" Scott calls after him, laughing. Is it Stiles's imagination, or does the laughter seem forced?

Stiles slams into the Jeep and clutches at the steering wheel. His heart is still hammering away in his ears, and he can blame only part of that on adrenaline. Scott's weird behavior has rattled him, and he needs a moment to come back to himself, because the plan. He has to focus on the plan. But no matter how he tries to find the place in himself to believe, he keeps going back to Scott's face and the solemn timbre of his words.

"No," he tells himself. "It's not like that. He will survive. He survived Kali's foot fetish attack for fuck's sake. He can survive anything."

So having told himself that, he cranks the Jeep up and starts driving.

Hours later, when Scott's howls have died away and Stiles is standing over his body, Stiles's brain chooses then to remind him that yes, it was like that.