The Dangers of Falling (in Love)

Chapter 16-

*The next morning*

"Has anyone seen Stiles?" Derek asks walking over to the cottage where the Parrish and Boyd were eating breakfast.

"He took off in his Jeep about an hour ago to start work, Scott went after him though. He shouldn't be working yet not since the snake bite two days ago and plus he wouldn't be thinking straight after Angel died." Parrish answers and Derek nods thinking the exact same thing.

"Which way did they go?" He asks and Boyd points in the direction of the stables and with that Derek climbs into the farm ute and drives in that direction.

He spots Scott's Toyota driving towards him and they stop next to each other winding their windows down to talk.

"Wheres Stiles?" Derek asks leaning his forearm on the open window.

"In the stables, I wouldn't go in there though, he just wants to be alone." Scott replies. Like hell he's leaving Stiles alone when he's like this.

"I'll take my chances." Derek replies and Scott nods as they both drive off in different directions. He parks the ute next to Stiles' Jeep and walks into the stables. This is the first time he's been in a horse stable since Paige... he pushes the thought out of his head and focuses on Stiles.

He spots the kid in one of the end stables and Derek stares in shock realising Stiles is having a breakdown. He watches for a few seconds as Stiles shouts and screams. Kicking loose hay on the floor, throwing buckets around the stables and then smashes a wooden rake on the wall making a loud *crack* Derek quickly stops staring and runs the best he can to Stiles. He grabs the broken rake from the boys hands throwing it to the side as he grabs Stiles shoulders to try calm him. But he continues to fight. His screams turn into sobs as he kicks and fights against Derek's grip but the older man wraps his arms around Stiles to hold him still so he doesn't hurt himself.

"Stiles, it's okay." Derek says softly trying to calm him down. "Stiles." Derek repeats and this time the younger man stops fighting and Derek sits them both down on a bale of hay. They sit there for a few minutes, Derek with his arm still around Stiles shoulders for support as he calms himself down.

"Not in the mood to talk, I just want to be alone." Stiles finally says breaking the silence as he stares at the ground and Derek could see the sadness and pain in his eyes.

"I know Scott told me." Derek replies moving his right leg slightly to make it less painful.

"Yet you're still here." Stiles responds dryly and Derek looks away trying not to take that to heart. He knows Stiles is hurting and Derek acted the same way towards Laura after the fire.

"I'm here because the last thing you need right now is to be alone." Derek says looking back up at Stiles who turns his head facing him for the first time with a tired face.

"You don't know what I need! You can't possibly know how I feel right now, what it's like to have the last piece of your mother ripped out of your life within a blink of an eye!" Stiles shouts and Derek could see the tears forming in the boys eyes.

"I do know what it's like." Derek says quietly with a sympathetic smile and Stiles expression turns from angry to guilty in an instant. "Which is why I know right now you think it's best to be a alone but trust me being alone is the worst thing for you right now. You can yell at me and fight me all you want but I'm not letting you be alone and I am not letting you do this either." Derek says pointing towards the stable knowing before Stiles' breakdown he had started cleaning out Angels stable. "One of the others will do it, you and I are gonna go to the old shed and I will teach you how to fix the old slasher. Because I can guarantee you Parrish will somehow break it again." Derek says knowing Stiles needs a distraction and Stiles nods with a slight smile.