Bravely Courageous

28

"What about tonight?" Aiden wondered.

"Nope," Lydia answered. "Studying."

"I could help you."

"Do you have an IQ higher than 170?"

Aiden nodded in defeat. "Okay. You could help me."

Lydia scoffed and Aiden asked, "Tonight then?"

She didn't give him an answer, and Caleb grabbed stuff from his locker not realizing that Lydia was looking at him.

Stiles walked up to Maggie who had gone to her locker and said, "Come on. We're gonna talk to the guy's girlfriend."

"Is this gonna go as poorly as I think?" Maggie asked.

"Probably."

"Let's go."

---

They reached the station and Stiles walked up to the girl. "Um, hi, Ashley. Hi. Can I talk to you just for one sec? Sorry. I just need to ask you something really quick, and it's gonna sound really unbelievably insensitive, so I apologize in advance. Um... Was Kyle a virgin?"

Ashley scoffed. "What?"

"Your boyfriend, was he a virgin, or did you guys... You know what I mean..."

Ashley slapped his cheek and a deputy took her away. She turned back and looked at Stiles. "No. He wasn't a virgin."

Maggie narrowed her eyes at Stiles. "Seriously? You're unbelievable."

Stiles frowned at her as Sheriff Stilinski walked up and said, "Have you completely lost your mind? I've got four murders, Stiles. You see those men in there?" Maggie looked around and noticed several tall men in pressed suits. "That's the FBI. They're pulling together a task force to help because it looks like we've got a full-blown serial killer on our hands. You get that?"

Stiles nodded. "Yes, Dad. I get that."

"Then what are you doing? And why are you dragging Maggie into this?"

"I'm trying to find a pattern. What makes you think I dragged her into this?"

Maggie turned to face Stiles. "Um, maybe because you did. God, Stiles, do you even-"

"Yes I think!"

"Not enough it would seem."

"Ouch."

Stiles drove them back to school before saying, "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I thought having someone that could be sympathetic could help."

"You really picked a hell of a person, Stiles," Maggie muttered with a scoff.

"What happened to you, Maggie?"

"Things change."

"Maggie, talk to me."

She met his eyes and said quietly, "Promise me you'll protect me."

"Always. What's going on?"

"Ms. Blake is Caleb's and my mom."

"But I thought your mom died."

"Our adopted mom. Caleb and I were adopted when we were little. Honestly we're suspicious of her, and- And-" She cut herself off, shaking her head.

Wordlessly, Stiles pulled her into his arms and held her as tight as he could.

"I'll do my best to keep you safe, Maggie."

She rested her head on his chest, nodding slowly.

---

They found Boyd pinning an Air Force ROTC patch and a card with words to Kyle's locker.