Stiles gasped for breath as he scrabbled a ground the was so clearly solid. He rolled over and looked up, up into the full branches of the Nemeton, the calmly rustling leaves and the serenity of a being that had seen it all.
"Stiles?" he heard someone call, Malia, it was Malia, his Malia.
He pulled himself up into a sitting position, running his hand through Ide's fur as the wolf came into his line of site. As he did so he realised that he was still holding the arrow in his hand, looking down he saw that the knife he had used in the Nogitsune was still clutched in the other, dripping with the black blood. Around his neck he felt the weight of the pendant. Did it mean that what happen was real?
"Stiles, what happened?" Malia asked, suddenly beside him with a hand grasping his shoulder.
"I just got rid of him for good," Stiles replied quietly, a smile playing on his lips as he lent back against his girlfriend. He was free at last.
"Got rid of who Stiles?" Lydia asked behind the two.
"The Nogitsune," Stiles beamed as he pulled himself up until he stood in front of them all.
"Stiles, is that... is that Allison's?" Scott said, staring at the medallion around the Spark's neck.
"Yeah, she gave it to me. And this," he held up the knife," and I pulled her arrow out of the Nemeton."
"Wait, what do you mean my daughter gave those to you?" Chris asked, a look of utter sadness on his face.
"Who is Allison?" Tommy asked.
"A friend who died," Scott said quietly.
"She's still dead, it's... it's really hard to explain. I know where Sparks are really from now though, we could write a book together Mitchell," Stiles said, smiling weakly and rubbing the back of his neck.
***
They had left the clearing in silence, no one really knowing what to say, all just following Stiles. The Spark hadn't been overly enthusiastic about starting up conversation either as the glow of killing the Nogitsune wore off and all he could remember was Allison.
"Leave the guilt behind."
"Look after Scott for me."
"You're free now."
Her words bounced around his mind, the last smile all he could see as he drove back to Derek's loft. She had been so real, he had felt her breath against his skin. How had she been dead? He wished so badly that she wasn't. That he would turn and she would be sat there beside Malia. That he would be able to pick up and pass her the silver arrow, take the necklaces from around his neck and put it around hers. But he knew that wasn't going to happen. He knew that it was the deep, ancient magic of the Nemeton. Now that the Nogitsune was dead though, the magic wouldn't have to hold her there, she could go off to where ever the dead go. Be at peace.
It all left Stiles with the question of what he was going to do next. What he was going to do now that he was free. Now that he was the most powerful creature on earth. Which in itself was crazy as hell.
***
The morning a week later found Stiles pacing back and forth, across the length of his and Malia's room in Derek's apartment. The Borden Pack had stayed in Beacon Hills for a week to check that whatever had gone down at the Nemeton had done it's job, that the supernatural creatures would stop being drawn to Beacon Hills. It seemed to be that way, which meant that the Pack was going back to Greenwood.
Which left Stiles with a choice.
McCall or Borden. McCall or Borden. Beacon Hills or Greenwood. Scott and Lydia or Mitchell and Tommy.
The idea of choosing had plagued him for the past week. Every since he had been released from the magic of the Nemeton, from the source of all magic.
In the end, after days of worrying he felt that he had come to a decision.
"Look after Scott for me."
"Look after Scott for me."
He could do that, even if it was totally unnecessary as his friend was a true alpha. Still, he would look out for his oldest friend, for Scott and for Allison.
And he could do that from as far a Greenwood. Because this time he could stay in touch. He could leave Beacon Hills and all the ghosts that still lurked there but he could keep hold of his friends from both halves of his life.
***
As the rest of the Borden's filed down the stairs to the back door and to where the cars were, John caught hold of Stiles' arm.
"I see that you decided to join us," he beamed, glancing at the duffel that was sung over the Spark's shoulder.
"Yeah, you're still stuck with me," Stiles laughed.
He and Malia deposited their bags in the jeep before turning back to where the McCall Pack stood watching them sadly.
Stiles walked over slowly, nerves and sadness mingling in his gut. The day was hot so he was wearing a t-shirt, exposing long yet now muscled and inked up arms. He still felt his father glance at the tattoos as he got closer, not yet being used to the thought of such a display on his son.
"So you're off," the Sheriff commented.
"Yeah, but this time we will keep in touch, come down to visit from time to time," Stiles smiled at his dad before he was pulled into a tight hug which he quickly returned.
Lydia and Melissa came for hugs next, then Kira. Isaac stood back but gave him a nod of acknowledgement while Chris gave his shoulder a light squeeze. Then it was Scott's turn. He hugged his friend like they always had, as if the years before hadn't kept them apart. When they broke up the hug Stiles dug in his jeans pocket, pulling something out and wrapping it in Scott's hand. The alpha gave him a curious look and Stiles offered him a small smile.
"She would have wanted you to have it. Let it give you courage like it did for her... and me," Stiles said to him quietly, putting a supportive hand on his friend's shoulder as the other opened up his hand and stared down at the Argent crest.
His human eyes softened and he took a deep breath before pulling Stiles into another hug.
"Thank you man," he breathed in the Spark's ear before letting go for a second time.
With that Stiles took a step back until he stood alongside Malia and Ide. He gave his friends one last smile and a small wave before he and Malia linked fingers. They turned and headed off towards Stiles' jeep, ready to start a new chapter of life where everything was resolved.
END
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Inked Emissary
FanfictionStiles is racked with guilt after Allison's death. He can't look at any of his friends, especially Isaac, and not think about all of the people he'd killed, injured or left with broken families. He knew that wasn't purely him, but it hadn't purely b...
