In too Deep ((Sterek #1))

Chapter Eighteen: Little Difference

Stiles nodded slightly and piled his stuff back into his bag before standing up. "Yeah I'm ready" he said with a smile and looked around for a moment. "Which way is it?" he asked and looked around again.

Derek stood up and shrugged slightly, "Ummmmmm" he said and looked around a moment before just walking, making sure it was was the right way. "It's this way" he said, and sighed softly.

Stiles nodded slightly and swung his bag over his shoulder before hurrying to catch up to Derek. He grabbed onto his arm so if he tripped he wouldn't fall on his face, Derek still refused to let him use a flashlight.

Derek looked through the stupid camera as he walked, making sure to look around him, so he wouldn't miss anything. He wasn't so sure this plan would work, but he had to admit that it was at least a little bit of an advantage, they might actually be able to see them coming this way. If they even found them, the theory about the center of the pentagram might be completely bogus. That's where his and Josie's spot just happened to be, just barely within the three mile center.

Derek jumped slightly when something ran across the screen on the camera What the hell? He moved the camera trying to find it again but it was gone, which he definitely wasn't liking. "Time to go" he said after a moment and started pulling Stiles in the opposite direction of the creature.

"Wait, what why?" Stiles asked and he stumbled behind Derek as he pulled him. "What's the hurry? Did you see something?" he asked.

Before Derek could answer Stiles was pulled out of his hands and thrown into a tree. He growled angrily, his face immediately morphing into that of a werewolf. He glared at the Ahzi before charging at it.

*Stiles

Stiles groaned as he pushed himself up onto his feet. He quickly looked around, not even sure what was happening. Then he saw it, Derek and the Ahzi fighting, neither one of them having an upper hand. He felt his breathing starting to pick up, his heart pounding in his chest. Not now he groaned, knowing what was happening. He tried to peel his eyes away from the scene unfolding before him, but he couldn't. It was all he could seem to focus on, his breathing becoming more and more erratic as it continued.

No no no no no no Stiles chanted in his head as Derek went down the Ahzi hovering over him. I can't do anything. I'm useless. He thought to himself as he tried getting himself to get up and help, to do anything but he just couldn't make himself get up. He shook his head frantically and closed his eyes. Calm down calm down calm down, he thought to himself over and over again, forcing his heart rate to go down, for his breathing to even, but it just wasn't happening.

Stiles flinched when he heard Derek scream, no no no no. He was still shaking his head, still willing himself to get calm down so he could help but it still wasn't happening. His finger tips started feeling numb as his hands shook. He shook his head, "No" he yelled refusing to let this be the end.

"Stiles get out of here" Derek yelled as he tried pushing the ahzi off of him. When that didn't work he dug his claws into it's shoulder. "Run Stiles" he yelled, because he doubted he'd win this fight and then Stiles would be next. "Now"

Stiles blinked when he heard Derek's voice, and just focused on that and only that for the time being. Every time the man spoke he felt himself calm down, even though it wasn't exactly peaceful.

"Stiles what are you doing? Get the hell out of here" Derek yelled again as the struggle between him and the Ahzi continued.

Stiles shook his head slightly before forcing himself to stand up, actually able to do it this time. He was shaky on his feet and stumbled several times as he made his way over to them. He braced himself against a tree trying to calm down his breathing and his still rapidly beating heart. He let out a slow breath before pulling out his pocket knife, wouldn't do much but it was something. He flipped the blade out and held it defensively before running at them and stabbing the creature in the back.

The creature screeched and whipped around to shove Stiles away, and tossed the human onto the ground.

Derek growled and shoved the Ahzi the rest of the way off of him. He was about to make a killing blow when the thing suddenly ran off, into the forest. Why does it keep doing that? He growled to himself angrily. He blinked a few times and let out a shaky breath before falling to his knees feeling weaks. "Stiles, are you okay?" he asked.

Stiles stared at him blankly for a moment, "Am I okay" he asked and hurried over to his side. "You're the one who's hurt not me" he said and examined Derek to make sure he was in fact okay.

Derek chuckled, "Don't think I didn't notice the panic attack Stiles." he said and looked over at him. "You're not okay. You need more time...... or something" he said, not really sure what was going on with him.

Stiles sighed softly, "I'm sorry I don't know what happened" he said looked over Derek. "I've never froze like that before" he said with another sigh. He turned his attention back to him "Are you okay?" he asked, more worried about the werewolf then himself.

Derek nodded slightly, "I'm fine. I'll heal" he said and looked over at Stiles. "We're not coming out here again" he said. "It's too dangerous, and you're obviously not ready for this" he said.

Stiles sighed "Derek come on we've already had this conversation. I'm not going stop-"

Derek shook his head slightly "I'm not saying we have to stop Stiles, you're just not going to come out here with me anymore" he said firmly. "You had a panic attack Stiles, you could have gotten yourself killed." he said. "I think you just need more time"

Stiles decided not to argue and just nodded, "Fine" he said and trailed his fingers down Derek's chest examining the claw marks. "We should get out of here" he said after a few moments. "You ready?" he asked, wanting to make sure the werewolf wouldn't needlessly push himself.

Derek nodded slightly "Yeah I'm okay" he said and smiled small at Stiles, glad that he hadn't argued with him. He slowly pushed himself up onto his feet and braced himself on a tree.

Stiles watched him for a moment before wrapping an arm around his waist to help hold him up. "Come on, can't be any harder than holding up in a pool for two hours" he said jokingly.

Derek scoffed "Right" he said and wrapped on of his arms around Stiles' shoulders before starting to walk. Wasn't so sure he needed the help, but he liked being this close to the human anyway.