Monster. (Sterek)

Part 12: Where Do You Stand?

*****

Stiles didn't know what he was supposed to do. He was sitting in front of the woman who had been a mother to him for so long; held him while he cried, cooked for him, let him come round whenever he wanted and took care of him when his own father couldn't. And he didn't know what to do to help her.

Tears streamed down her face despite her best efforts to compose herself. Stiles suddenly regretted saying that he wanted to do this alone. The plan had been that Stiles would go to the McCall house looking for Scott, if he wasn't there, then they would find him but if he was then Stiles would try to talk to him. If Scott refused to even hear Stiles out, then he would get Lydia to talk to him. She was good at persuading people. But when Stiles had knocked on the door, he had been greeted by Melissa. She was fine up until the point where Stiles had mentioned Scott's name.

After a little prompting, she had explained that Scott had been leaving just as she arrived home yesterday. He had planned on leaving before she even got there but it had taken longer to load all of his things into Kira's car than either of them had anticipated. He hadn't even planned on leaving a note. But when Melissa had stopped him and asked what he was doing he had told her that he couldn't stay in a town where people would protect a murderer. She struggled to tell Stiles that Scott had referred to him as a "monster, vampire or otherwise."

Scott had asked her, "How can you stand up for him over me?" after she had said that Stiles was not that. Stiles had offered to get her a glass of water after that. He took his time.

Once he had sat back down, she went on to say that she had snapped at Scott, saying things along the lines of: "Stiles has done nothing wrong.", "Don't become your father." and "Stiles will always be a son to me but I was always by your side, I will always choose you." Scott had scoffed at that last one, laughed, in fact. Stiles understood her, he understood that Scott was her son, her boy – Scott had messed up but that would never change her feelings. Maybe it would never truly change Stiles', either. Maybe, despite everything and despite Stiles' best efforts, Stiles would always miss Scott. Or maybe he just missed the echo of what Scott used to be.

Scott had gone inside, then. Come back out with his last bag, ignored Melissa's begging and pleading for him to stay. Ignored her shouts and calls. He didn't even say goodbye.

Kira had given her a sad smile before they pulled out. Stiles could already tell that smile would haunt Melissa for years to come.

"I can't believe he thinks I don't love him." She said out of the blue. Stiles knew why and what she meant, though – his own ghosts (ones with dark hair and matching eyes, so reminiscent of his own mother) looming over him, dark and haunting in the stillness of the room. It was a lot to take in all at once.

A lot of different emotions ran through him in quick succession. Anger at Scott for hurting Melissa and for leaving. Sadness at the fact that Scott thought that, even if Stiles were to become human again, there was no redeeming him. Disbelief that Scott would hurt his mother because of his prejudices against Stiles. Fear at the prospect of never being mortal again. Guilt for thinking about himself in a situation like this. It was all too much.

Ignoring the incessant spinning that pressed against his skull, he stood up and began to pace.

"I couldn't stop him, Stiles. He wouldn't listen to me. I said some things that I already regret and he won't answer the phone or my texts. I tried to explain everything but he just ignored me." She took a deep breath and then drank some of her water. Stiles ran his hands through his hair, tilted his head back and sighed.

"Alright, I'll see if Lydia can get through to him. If she can, do you want her to tell him anything?" It was the least he could do since he was the reason that Scott left.