Protect || Stiles Stilinski DISCONTINUED

Protect || Chapter Twenty

          He sighed, motioning to the McCall siblings, "You two, out."

          Without hesitation, the siblings left the room, following Matt's instructions to go to the main area where the deputies would sit at their desks during the day. "There," Matt said, motioning for them to sit on a desk.  Kat decided to mock him slightly and pulled out the comfy chair to sit in as Scott slumped against the desk, still holding his gunshot wound.  It still wasn't fully healed.

          Matt leaned in close to Scott, examining the wound for himself, before standing up straight and speaking. "You know, I-I feel sorry for you, McCall, because right now you're thinking, "How am I gonna explain this when it heals?" And the sad part is you don't even realize how incredible it is that you actually are healing.  Because you know what happens to everyone else when they get shot?  They die."

          Matt stepped away from the siblings, shaking his head.  Kat narrowed her eyes at him, her brows furrowing as she realized something.  Scott spoke before she could, though.

          "Is that what happened to you?"

          Matt sourly chuckled.

          "You drowned, didn't you?" Kat asked.  Matt spared her a glance, silently asking if she really cared.  He couldn't read anything on her face, she remained emotionless.

          "He shouldn't have let them drink," was all he said, looking back out the window and away from the siblings.

          "What -- who -- Matt, what do you mean?" Scott stuttered.

          "Lahey!" Matt loudly said before speaking in a quieter tone. "He shouldn't have let them drink."

          Kat sent Scott a questioning look before asking the question on both of their minds, "Who was drinking?"

          "The swim team, you idiot." Matt spit. "I didn't know what was happening.  I didn't know they had just won State, and Lahey's letting his favorites come over to have a couple drinks to celebrate.  Who cares if they're seventeen, right?"

          Scott's face became even more curious, "Were you at Isaac's?"

          "He had this first edition Spider-Man -- or was it, Batman?" Matt started to tell the story of the night he drowned. "And we were gonna make a trade.  But then I'm over there and I hear music.  And everyone's having a good time, and I see Sean, he throws Jessica in the pool.  And then -- and then Bennett goes in and -- "

          "Bennett?" Scott interrupted, "The hunter?"

          Matt nodded, his eyes locked on something in front of him, "And then Camden, Isaac's jarhead brother, he grabs me.  He thinks it's funny."

          Kat recalled earlier that night, how Matt freaked out before being tossed into the pool. "They threw you in," Kat stated, watching for his agreement.

          "I-I yelled that I can't swim, but nobody listens.  I go under, and I swallow water, and no one cares.  And I see these bodies underwater.  I-I see Jessica's got her hands down Sean's board shorts.  Tucker's grabbing Kara.  And I'm drowning.  I'm dying, and they're laughing.  All of a sudden, I was just -- I'm lying by the pool.  And Lahey is right there, right above me, and he says . . . "

          He trails off, suddenly getting up in Scott's face as he's recalling what Mr. Lahey told him. "He says, "You tell no one!  This, this is your fault!  You don't know how to swim?  What little bastard doesn't know how to swim?  You say nothing, you tell no one!  No one!"