Missing Something 10
(song for this chapter - BloodSport by Raleigh Ritchie)
Peter watched as his nephew broke down while holding his potential mate as they faded away again. It was hard to watch. He saw how these two were so deeply broken. In a perfect world that might mean that they could heal each other. But this wasn't a perfect world this was Beacon Hills. There be monsters here and not everyone lives happily ever after.
Peter had been happy to see Stiles had come back to himself but he also knew all too well how relapses could happen. His own insanity was still clawing at him every single day and it was a battle to stay cognizant. He knew it could have happened but to watch such a sharp mind fade into a broken husk was hard even for him. The heartless insane one.
He sighed and shook his head. "You need a break Derek. You can't keep doing this. You're going to snap if you only live for him while he's like this."
Derek growled deeply at him. He scoffed and started switching out the burnt out bulbs around the house. "Growl all you want dear nephew. But it's the truth. You're going to burn out. You need to go and run. You need time away from him. This isn't healthy for you."
Derek shook his head. "I... I can bring him back."
Peter actually laughed at that. It was a tired and weary laugh. "No. He's going to bring himself back. Eventually. You're not the Knight in shining armer here Derek. You are the protector that is going to keep him safe while his own mind peices itself back together. That could take years." His voice was true and didn't waiver. He was after all speaking from experience.
Derek's eyes flashed red and his fangs glinted as he silently snarled at him.
"I'm not trying to hurt you Nephew. I'm simply telling you how it is." Peter's brow creased as the corners of his lips turned down. "For what it's worth... he's stronger than I ever was. He's gonna get better faster than I did. How much faster is up to him. You can't do the healing for him."
Derek sat Stiles down on the couch and knelt beside his feet wiping his eyes and refusing to look at Peter.
"Go take the day off. Have one of the pups come and spend time with him. I'll protect him while they play." Peter stood strong ready to help his nephew. "I know you wont ever truly trust me but... I'm rooting for Stiles on this one. And you for that matter." His thoughts raced on all the horrible things his nephew could say back to him so he gave a sideways smirk and crossed his arms over his chest. "Now that I've reached my yearly quota of sentimentality get the hell out of here and go lick your wounds."
Derek stood slowly and Stiles was looking out the window with a vacant expression. Derek said nothing. He simply left out the back door and headed into the woods.
The air was staunch with the scent of pain and traces of arousal as well as deep fear and saddness. All mingled together it stank. Peter sighed and texted one of the mutts to come and play with Stiles while he pup sat. He kept cleaning up the house and let the windows open to get the house cleared out of the scents that hung in the air. He stood in front of the windows securing the last one open when he heard a foot fall behind him.
Peter turned to see Stiles was standing looking at him with a curious tilt. Peter knew the boy couldn't understand him and there was no one around that would hear him. He frowned at the boy as he shifted his face to his wolf and he saw the boy smile at him. "You gotta come back Stiles. Eventually. He needs you back. We all do."
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Thank you all for being so patient with me. I know you all probably think I'm gone for good but I have and am dealing with mental health issues at the moment. I am hoping that getting back into writing will help me. Gonna start out slow and build up to the good stuff hopefully I still have it in me. Love you all and thank you so much for sticking with me.
Sincerely your absent author
