A/N - hello my gorgeous beans I'm back, just wanted to let you know that this chapter is going to be different as it does not have a video and the majority of the memories are not from canon.
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Newt lay on his back humming softly to himself as he carded his fingers through Tommy's thick hair when there was a light knock on the door.
Thomas groaned "Do we have to go back?" he asked burrowing further into his boyfriend's chest, though being careful to avoid aggravating the still fresh wounds from Erica.
Another, more frantic, knock sounded at the door before it burst open and Minho, literally, fell into the room
Newt sighed "I guess we do"
Minho stumbled to his feet, which was quite the accomplishment, considering he had his eyes screwed tightly shut.
"I did not mean to open the door, Horai's witchy joo joo is playing against me I swear. I would never barge into a room with just you two in it, not after last time-"
"Minho"
"-but it's not like I knew what you two would be doing in there-"
"Minho"
"-I mean really if you think about it it's your fault-"
"Minho"
"-it's basic courtesy, if you're going to have sex, you lock the doors-"
"Minho"
"-I really did not need to see you stuffing Newts throat with your di-"
"MINHO!" They yelled in sync, finally succeeding in getting the rambling man's attention
Thomas pinched the bridge of his nose in pure exasperation,"Would you open your eyes, we're only talking" he said as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, offering his hand to Newt.
Slowly, Minho's face unscrewed itself and he hesitantly peeked out through one eye to check if the couple was messing with him, again, before realising the coast was clear and opened them both.
"So you guys weren't-" he trailed off pointing between the two of them
Newt rolled his eyes fondly "No Minho we weren't"
Minho sagged in relief "Oh, well alright then" he turned to the door and cupped his hands over his mouth "GUYS IT'S ALL GOOD THEY ARENT HAVING SEX!"
Thomas ran a hand down his face "Jesus"
"Your way with words never ceases to amaze me Minho" Newt said, amusement coating his voice
Minho spun back around to face them "Thank you" he replied with a deep bow
Before anything more could be said in relation to Minho's eccentric tendencies, a blur of yellow came hurtling from around the corner and launched itself straight into Newt's arms almost knocking the man over in the process.
Newt coughed as the air was knocked from his lungs, and looked down to identify the source, only to be met with a pair of wide baby blue eyes staring back at him.
"Are you okay Uncle Newt?" a soft voice asked, big eyes staring up at him with such concern it almost brought him to his knees, and he would've if it hadn't been for Thomas' arm wrapped around his waist, keeping him steady.
Newt's eyes prickled, pooling tears blurring his vison as his heart swelled within his chest threatening to suffocate him in the depths of his emotion. He'd spent the better half of his life being brainwashed and thrown into a maze where he was forced to repeatedly watch his family die, never knowing when he may lose another loved one. He had long since accepted that he would never have any stability in his life, nor someone he could love without losing when Thomas stumbled into the glade.
At first he had been scared, terrified that he felt such a strong pull towards someone he barely knew. Even more so when he discovered Tommy's near suicidal desire to become a runner. Newt had done everything he could to dissuade Thomas from his ambition, but the little bastard was persistent. He kept asking, kept begging Alby and himself to let him go into the maze, he made reckless decisions, he continued to put his own life in jeopardy to protect the other Gladers. But most importantly, he kept coming back.
Thomas showed him what is was to be loved again, to have a family and not live in constant fear of what could happen.
To live in the moment.
While that fear had never truly left him, nor would it ever, now he was surrounded with and amazing family, amazing people he never would have met if it weren't for Thomas teaching him how to live without fear controlling his every move.
He would never have had the strength to build a bond with this beautiful, unique young girl. never had the chance to be called an uncle, and he owed it all to his Tommy.
Newt reached down and scooped the small girl into his arms, giving her a firm but gentle squeeze.
"I'm better than okay Sydney" he whispered "In fact I don't think I've ever been happier"
Thomas rested a hand on the small of newts back and pressed a lingering kiss to the man's temple. He knew how much Newt had struggled with letting people into his heart after everything W.C.K.D had put him through and seeing how he was interacting with his family and friends - majority of whom Newt had never even met - warmed his heart. It made him see just how far Newt had come since the Maze and he was more proud of him than mere words could ever express.
Claudia stood wrapped in her husband's arms, watching the way Mieczyslaw and Newt were interacting with Sydney.
"They would make amazing parents one day" she whispered to Noah
"He takes after you"
She hummed, nestling herself further into the warmth of her husband's chest "Don't sell yourself short moja miłość, you were the one who raised him"
Noah tightened his arms around her, "you would have done better, I made so many mistakes, I-"
Claudia turned abruptly turned in his arms and cupped his face in her hand, forcing him to look at her "Shhh, none of that, mistakes are part of parenting. Whilst I am heartbroken that I had to miss my baby growing up, I treasure the time I did get to have with him and look forward to the memories we can make in the future. Not to mention that I am beyond grateful that he had such caring people like you and Melissa to raise him into the man he is today."
Tears rolled silently down Noah's cheeks "I missed you so much Clauds" he croaked, burying his head in the crook of her neck
"I missed you too Lazur" she whispered, running her fingers through his hair
Raphael smiled at the reunited couple, looking over at Melissa with a find expression. He accepted long ago that things would never be the same between them again due to his own stupid actions. Melissa was happy with Chris, and Scott still didn't trust him. He knew things with his family would never return to the way they were, but that didn't mean he couldn't make things right between them and hopefully build a relationship with his son and Melissa again.
Gally crossed his arms "You love birds ready to get back to it, or are you gonna keep being all lovey dovey with each other?"
"Contrary to what you may think I'm not exactly thrilled to have you all watch my memories, there is literally a thousand things I'd rather be doing right now" He deadpanned, faint amusement lining his tone "Newt being one of them" He added with a wink
Minho gagged and Newt hit him upside the head
"Ow!"
"Alright how about we move back into the theatre before things gets violent" Mnemosyne suggested, eyes twinkling with mirth.
Vince nodded "Yes ma'am"
One-by-one they all trickle out into the theatre, leaving only Neha and Thomas in the room as the latter watched with a fond smile as his beloved took a seat with Sydney.
Neha walked up and nudged him in the side "I still can't believe you managed to pull someone that hot" she said nodding in Newt's direction
"Oi!" he cried indigently "Are you saying I'm not sexy?"
"Oh no, your totally sexy" She stated "I guess I'm still finding it kinda difficult to imagine you as anything other than the sarcastic little nerd that can run an equation faster than Yo-yo can rip out his eyebrows"
They both laughed at that, enjoying the familiarity between them after spending so long apart without contact.
Neha shuffled on her feet for a minute, biting her lip "You know" she started, breaking Thomas from his laughter fuelled haze at the seriousness in her voice "I always thought there was something missing with you, almost like we were only seeing a piece of the puzzle. Or how every now and then another side to you would shine through that we'd never seen before and then disappear effective immediately, almost like it was being forcefully repressed or something. Being here, watching your memories with the people from each aspect of your life, it's like putting the pieces together and seeing the picture on top."
Thomas raised his eyebrows in surprise "Wow, I thought Nick and Billy were supposed to be the super insightful ones"
"Hey, I can be wise too"
"Right and Billy knows his Wi-Fi password"
"Says the one who got their glasses stolen by a stripper" Neha teased
He hummed "or the one who gave a whole drunken rant about the difference between wingspan, and wingspan"
She shoved him playfully "Oh piss off geek"
"I love you too Ne" he chuckled pulling her in for a hug
She clutched his shirt "I missed you, we all did, it hasn't been the same since you disappeared"
"Now that I've found you, I have no intentions of losing you again" Thomas assured, tightening his arms around her.
Neha pulled back and jabbed a finger at his chest "you better not Stu or I'll make you watch as I burn your limited edition death star model" she threatened
Thomas gasped comically "oh you are evil"
"Don't you forget it"
"Trust me, you're pretty unforgettable"
"Better believe it"
At this point they were heading towards the theatre, giggling like children.
Just before they entered the room Neha paused and placed a hand on Stuart's shoulder holding him back "Look for what it's worth, I've never seen you happier than when you're with Newt, you guys are made for each other" she told him sincerely
Thomas smiled appreciatively and was about to respond when Neha continued
"But if he ever hurts you, I will personally cut his balls off"
"I appreciate that, but it won't be necessary" he told her "Newt's it for me, there's no one else"
Neha smirked "Wow, who knew you were a romantic? What else are you hiding under that beanie Stu?"
"That's for me to know, and you to find out" Thomas replied with a cheeky grin, one which Neha returned before finally heading over to reclaim her seat between Erica and Allison.
"Is everything ok?" Newt asked, pausing his previous activity of playing with Sydney who sat perched in his lap as Thomas finally returned to his seat beside him.
Thomas smiled softly at his boyfriend "Perfect" he said, leaning forward and placing a quick kiss on the corner of his mouth.
Horai clapped her hands together "Alright, are we ready to continue?"
"Yeah, might as well get it over with" Thomas sighed, still not happy about the situation he had been forced into.
Mnemosyne nodded "The next memories are going to be different from the rest, while these next memories will still show past events the primary focus won't not be on what happened and why, but rather on Thomas' relationships"
"All of them?" Thomas asked nervously, mind immediately straying to his past relationships that were...not exactly platonic.
Horai nodded "mhm, starting with Thomas and his father" she confirmed
"Me?" Noah asked surprised as he had assumed they would be focusing on his sons more, supernatural relationships.
Sensing the surprise in the man's voice Mnemosyne replied with "You underestimate yourself, of everyone in this room you are the one who shares the strongest bond with Thomas. Stronger than even that between him and Newt, for the bond between father and son, parent and child, far exceeds that of even the closest friend or lover"
She gestured to the people scattered around the theatre "There's no denying the bond these people share with Thomas is strong, but you have been by his side, supporting him unconditionally, since the day he was born. There is no doubt what you share with him goes far beyond any other in this room."
Noah wrapped an arm around his son, who leaned into his embrace, burying his head in the crook of his fathers neck as he'd done since he was a child, finding comfort and safety in the warm embrace.
Claudia smiled at her boys, her heart fluttering with exponential joy at the pure, unbridled bond they shared which, having been dragged through the trials of hell and back, had only grown stronger with every tribulation they faced.
Flourishing with the love only a family could create.
Mnemosyne smiled at the scene before her, finding solace in her decision to resurrect Claudia and give the family a second chance to be together, knowing it was the right choice to make.
"The first memory we watch will be a sort of mash up of multiple moments shared between Thomas and His father so that you are able to get a strong grasp of what the dynamic of their relationship is like before we move into the more strenuous memories" Horai announced to the theatre to give the occupants within an idea of what to expect from the next bracket of evocation.
Said people nodded, some having gathered some understanding of the bond between Thomas and his father from the brief time they'd spent with them during the viewings, whilst others, like Stan, Mike, Raphael, and Peter, whom have children of their own knew what to expect based from their own experiences. They knew the strength of the bond between parent and child, no matter how strained, had an underlying strength unlike any others, but they also knew that this bond wasn't without it's own turmoil's, parents make mistakes and the memories they were about to be shown would make them privy to all aspects of family.
The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Horai clapped her hands together "Are we ready?" she asked
When she received nods in return she clicked her fingers and summoned up the next memory
[1] It was raining lightly and the father and son duo are standing in the woods, Stiles back in his buzzcut era, squinting from a mixture of the rain and the luminescence of his dads flash light.
A series of unidentifiable emotions welled within Thomas's chest as the moment that started it all was displayed on screen. That was the night that changed his life forever. It was because of his decision to drag Scott out to the woods to investigate reports of a dead body that they were thrown into the world of supernatural creatures.
Since that day he'd never stopped running, never stopped fighting, never stopped anticipating the next attack, never stopped fearing for both his and the lives of everyone he loved. He would never of been possessed by the nogitsune, and Erica and Boyd would never of been killed.
Yet, despite that, he couldn't bring himself to regret any of it. For if he hadn't of dragged Scott out into the woods that night, sure he may not have crippling paranoia and anxiety, but he also would never have learnt how to defend himself against supernatural's, nor would he have met the pack who had become as good as family to him...or Derek, who became more than that.
He chanced a glance over at the brooding ex alpha, there was a time when he whole heartedly believe Derek was it for him, that he was the man he would spend the rest of his life with. Despite how young he had been when they were together, their love was strong and it was real. Even now, he recognised just how powerful the love he shared with Derek was and there was no denying that the connection between them still remained, and it would never cease. However strong as tat connection may be, and the brawn of their past love, those feelings could never outshine what he shared with Newt.
From the moment he first laid eyes on the gorgeous blonde it was like a piece of him that had been missing fell into place, and for the first time in his life, he felt whole. Their love was one that would remain from now to the end of time, carrying on to the next life and every life after that.
He reached over to the beautiful blonde sitting next to him and laced their fingers together. Sure things had gotten a little rocky over the years, but, despite the challenges he'd faced, he wouldnt change a thing.
Derek was the love of his life there was no denying that.
But Newt was his soulmate.
"Dad how're you doing?" he asked
"What have you done?" Claudia asks with a sigh
Thomas spluttered "W-what makes you think I did anything?" he asked incredulously
The woman eyed him knowingly, making him squirm in way that only a mother could "That was the expression you always made when we caught you doing something you shouldn't be doing" she said with a smirk
Newt snorted "That's the face he still makes when he's caught doing something he shouldn't be"
The others around the room snigger in agreement
"Hmmpf" Thomas pouts, crossing his arms in a manner like that of a petulant child
Noah eyes his son "So do you uh, listen in to all my phone calls?"
"Ah" Claudia says "So the usual then?"
Thomas' head snapped up "Oi!" he exclaimed
Noah nodded "yep" he confirmed, ignoring his sons indigent squawks
"No" came Stiles immediate reply "...well not the boring ones" he added weakly, knowing his dad didn't believe a word.
"Don't even try lying to your parents, your attempts are futile, we can read our children like books. It's like a sixth sense to know when their lying"
Sydney gulped thinking about the secret stash of lollies she had under her bed. Uncle Caleb had personally helped her loosen a floor board to put them under, there was no way her father had found it...right?
"Don't remind me" Yo-yo mumbled, subconsciously rubbing his eyebrow.
Noah merely raised an eyebrow before looking behind his son "And where's your usual partner in crime?"
"When there's one, the other's never far behind" Melissa stated knowledgably, before hesitating "well, that's how it used to be" she amended, the words spoken so quietly even the werewolves were strained to decipher them.
She looked over at her boys, grief strumming the strings of her heart, playing her like a harp. Her thoughts drifted to the past, memories like the boys matching Halloween costumes as children to how they supported each other through the losses of a parent making themselves known to the forefront of her mind. To see the heavy strain their relationship was under now, when she remembered times so joyous, broke her heart.
She only hoped that in time, they could mend the bond between them and regain what was lost. More than a best friend...a brother.
"Who Scott?" Stiles voice cracked as he scrambled for an excuse "Sco- Scott's home, said he wanted to get a good night's sleep for the first day back at school tomorrow" he said, placing his hands on his hips and sniffling from the rain "It's just me, in the woods...alone"
Anika whistled lowly "guess it's good for us you got better at lying huh" she giggled "that was piss poor"
Thomas gave her a sideways smile "I was always a good liar but lying to my dad always felt like a physical pain, no matter how trivial it was" He shrugged "he's my kryptonite."
Billy quirked an eyebrow "kryptonite?" he questioned, yes he knew about super man he wasn't that old, but something about the way Stuart had spoken gave him the impression that a comic reference was not the sole meaning behind that statement.
"Everyone's got a weakness in which the silver of their tongue turns to lead when used against" Stan said "and that intimacy can either be the strength that carries you through, or the knife that cuts you down"
"In our line of work one can easily lose sight of who they are. There's a rush of power that comes with taking a life, and it is not hard to allow that power to get in your head" Irene explained "in many agencies people look down on those with close personal relationships, they think it a weakness" she told them, her deriding tone giving away just what she thought of that notion.
"Having that weakness is our greatest strength, just as it is for werewolves and supernatural creatures, assassins need a tether, someone to keep them tied to their mortality, to remind them that their human"
"Mine like Mitch's was my father, he died 15 years ago, but I was fortunate enough to have Stan to help me through losing him. Most aren't so lucky to have multiple people to ground them in their lives"
"It's always a better option to have more than one person who can pull you from the edge" Stan stated gruffly "but unfortunately in this day 'n' age most are lucky if they can get even one, that's why there's so many fuckin rogues shittin' on our lawn"
"Like Ghost" Thomas growled
Stan's eyes narrowed "exactly, like Ghost"
Annika looked down, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. She knew better than anyone how foreign agencies treated personal connections, after all she spent her first 5 years as an agent working for Iranian intelligence and they did not take too kindly to 'distractions'. Before she started working for Irene, her personal relationships never stretched beyond one-night stands.
Her family was dead, and she never had the chance to make any friends, instead putting all her time into her work, fighting for the respect she deserved from her agency both as a woman, and as an agent. But the lack of relationships in her life never bothered her as it allowed her to become the ruthless assassin she was today, that was until she started working for Irene.
A tough woman who ran her division in the CIA with an iron fist. She gave respect where it was earned, not by uncontrolled prerequisites such as gender and name. It was under her guidance Annika noticed a difference between her and the other agents. Sure she was a great asset, she could kill a man with her bare hands in under 3 seconds, but there was a certain edge the other agents had that she seemed to lack and for the life of her she couldn't figure out what.
That was until she met him, she thought, turning her gaze to the brunette seated to her left.
Mitch Rapp was an angel of death and a guardian of the damned. He protected more than just those people told him were worth saving, he trusted his own judgment and never allowed his actions to be determined by other's opinions alone.
He showed her that she need not be restricted by her past, that she was worthy of a family despite her unlawful actions. In a time when they were both lost with no one to rely on, they became each other's family. And for that she was eternally grateful to him.
Noah raises his flashlight "Scott you out there?" he called and said werewolf is shown flinching from the light and hiding behind a tree "Scott?!"
Thomas smirked at the screen "you know you can give me as much crap as you want for my buzzcut...but at least I didn't look like I was fresh outta high school musical" he said, barley holding in his laughter at the werewolf's offended expression
"Oi!"
"He's got a point Scott" both Lydia and Allison stated through giggles
Scott huffed, rude
"Let's be honest, who didn't have a god-awful hair cut back in high school?" Jackson said, continuing when everyone stayed silent "exactly, Danny was the only exception"
Danny threw him a friendly wink "Thanks Jax"
"I speak only the truth"
...when he wants too, Ethan thought, rolling his eyes, for someone so keen on graciously admitting to a shitty haircut he was quite happy lying about who stole the last oreo.
Noah looks at his son, an annoyed expression painted across his face as he steps forward and grabs Stiles by the scruff of his neck "Well young man, im gonna walk you back to your car and you and I are gonna have a conversation about something called invasion of privacy" he said, ignoring Stiles protests as he dragged him away.
Claudia raised an amused eyebrow at her husband "and how long have you been giving him that talk"
"19 years" Noah muttered
"Right, and how many times has it actually worked?" she queried
"None" He grumbled moodily.
Pitying him Claudia leaned over to plant a soft kiss on his cheek and pat his shoulder sympathetically.
Thomas smiled softly at the image of his parents, one he hadn't had the honour of being witness to since he was 10 years old. He felt exceptionally blessed at the opportunity of having a second chance to see his parents like this again. Not everyone was as lucky, and he vowed to never take it for granted.
Scott is seen wincing as stiles is being dragged away, a 'what now?' look on his face as he bangs his head against the tree trunk.
Thomas winced "yeah sorry about that" he had always felt a certain level of guilt at being the reason Scott was bitten that night, knowing it was his fault that his best friend experienced so much trauma at such a young age, but the man waved off his apology
"It's history"
[2] The memory fades out and is soon replaced by an image of someone typing frantically, before a blue page with the heading 'Deer related accidents' comes up on the screen.
The memory pans and reveals Stiles, with longer hair and looking slightly older than in the last memory, to be the one looking up deer's.
"Ok but is anyone really surprised at this point?" Peter asked, amusement bubbling in his stomach as a chorus of no's echoed around the room confirming his suspicions.
Newt rolled his eyes at the childish pouted donning his boyfriends face "oh stop pouting you know its true"
"You know how much vehicle collisions last year involved deer? 247,000" he said, answering his own question though it was directed at his father, who stood in the doorway.
Allison and Erika dissolved into a fit of giggles "tell me you have ADHD, without telling me you have ADHD"
"Oh god please go to school" Noah groaned
"Goodluck with that" Peter said "once he gets an idea in his head there's no diverting his attention"
"Tell me about it" Noah grumbled
Thomas grinned at the two men "what can I say, I'm determined"
Gally's eyebrow quirked up in disbelief "determined would be an understatement" he deadpanned
"And that's a bad thing?" Thomas questioned
"With you there's no way to tell"
"...Touché"
"But that's crossing the road, this one last night came right down the middle" Stiles continued, ignoring him
Noah slowly walks up behind him, rubbing the back of his neck "I'm not gonna beg ya"
"As if you could, I'm impervious to your influence anyway" Stiles replied
Allison, who knew just how untrue that statement was, merely shook her head. It was common knowledge among those Stiles was closest to that his father was the most important person in the world to him. Lesser known due to Stiles rather bold 'I don't care what anyone thinks' attitude, was that everything Stiles did, every decision he made, everything he did. Was to make his father proud.
Noah pursed his lips "Would you consider a bribe?" he asked
Stan scoffed, tried that one, did not work
"Couldn't meet my price" Stiles stated without a moments hesitation, all the while still typing away on his computer, not once sparing a glance at his exasperated father.
"Extortion?" He tried again
Stiles tilts his head confidently as he replies "You got nothing on me"
Allison grinned evilly "I however -"
"I dare you to finish that sentence Allison Crystal Argent" Thomas threatened
Liam shrunk back "oh shit he pulled the full name on her" he whispered to Erica who was about 3 seconds away from screaming at Allison to run for her life before Stiles got up and she no longer had a life to run for.
Allison however felt no fear, and merely sent her brother a victorious smirk saying even though she'd conceded to his request, she was the winner in this round.
"Yeah" Noah sighed and started dragging Stiles chair backwards, away from his computer.
"Dad, what are you doing?" Stiles frowned confused, still not taking his eyes off the screen in front of him "Daad what're you doing?" he asked again still attempting to reach his keyboard before he inevitably fell to the floor "Agghhhouw!"
Mike, Stan, and Nic – who had somehow all acquired notebooks - were seen to be taking notes on Noahs methods.
[3] Noah appears to be sleeping soundly in his bed when a much younger Stiles, probably no older than 5, peeks his head through the door way.
Newts heart melted at the sight "look how cute you were" he coos, patting his boyfriends cheek
Thomas frowned "what do you mean 'were''' he asked offended "are you saying im not cute anymore?!"
"No now your hot" Sonia stated matter of factly
Newt sent her a mock glare "Oi watch it" he threatened
She raised her hands in surrender "Just saying"
Newt narrowed his eyes at her, burrowing further into HIS boyfriends warm embrace. Sonia rolled her eyes at his antics but secretly found his possessiveness over Thomas adorable and only made these remarks to get him all riled up.
Making an effort to be as quiet as possible, Stiles squeezes through the small gap until he is left standing in the doorway of his dads room dressed in a slightly too big batman onesie, a matching cape, and a fiercely determined expression on his face.
Thomas felt himself go red as all the woman in the room cooed at his younger self and Stan glared at the screen, berating himself for making him find his protege adorable. He was supposed to be a class A assassin god dammit, he wasn't supposed to be going around letting his – non-existent – heart melt at stupid little kids in stupid batman onesies.
Melissa and Claudia were lost in nostalgia, remembering when there wasn't a day you would see stiles without his Batman Pjs. Claudia had to get her husband to physically restrain the boy and threaten to tase him just to get his bloody school uniform on. It was adorable sure, but by God was it hard work.
He padded over to the unoccupied side of the bed and - with his tongue sticking out - jumps up onto the mattress, though he only managed to get his arms hooked over the edge and uses the thick quilt to haul himself the rest of the way.
Brenda felt as if she were about to combust from an overload of adorable "That is the cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life" she whispered to Aris who whole heartedly agreed
Rolling onto his hands and knees, Stiles crouches low like a Lion poised for the hunt, and launches himself at his father's sleeping form, eliciting a loud "mphf!"
"Tata wake up"
Minho tilted his head curiously "Tata?"
(I am by no means fluent in polish, this is straight from a translator app so I am so sorry if I got it wrong and if I did please correct me xx)
"It's polish for dad" Vince explained, surprising Thomas who had just been about to answer the question himself when the older man beat him to it.
"You speak polish?" he queried
Vince shrugged "not enough to be fluent, but enough to get by when I used to visit my grandmother" he revealed, his voice gradually getting softer.
"When was the last time you saw her?"
At that the spark in Vince's eyes diminished, replaced by pools of sorrow "I can't remember" he whispered
The Glader's all looked down at that. Each of them having experienced first hand the trauma to which he was referring to. All of them understanding the heartbreak that had rendered the normally gregarious man speechless.
Even though they had been reprieved themselves of the mental barriers implemented by W.C.K.D, most of them had been so young that they were unable to remember anything from their past lives. It may sound cruel, but Vince was actually one of the lucky ones. He was older when W.C.K.D took control of his mind, meaning the memories he possessed of his life before W.C.K.D vastly outnumbered the ones he'd gained under their control and as such gifted him with a much higher chance of regaining his memories than people like Newt, Gally and Chuck who had spent most of their childhood in the facility. They knew nothing of life outside of W.C.K.D, not even their mothers face.
Vince had been of his own mind for as long as eight years and recognised that wat he remembered now, was about as much as he'd get. But, despite his heartbreak for being unable to recall certain memories of his past, he was grateful for the recollection of family, stunted as it was, for he knew there were others who weren't so fortunate.
"Stiles" Noah groans, rubbing his eyes "what're doin"
The boy shuffled around so he was sitting on his father's chest "I'm ready to take my Adderall" he said expectantly
Claudia felt her heart melt at the memory playing out in front of her on the theatres screen. She remembered Noah telling her about this moment that very next day after Stiles' first day of school, whispering to her, only under the protective cloak of night, how his heart had broken for their son, his little boy that he ever had those thoughts. He shouldn't have to have felt so bad about himself any day of his life, let alone as young as 6. And to hear it was his own deputy who made his son feel so bad about himself made him so furious he could've killed the man.
Noah looked up at him groggily "Kid it's 4am, you don't need to take it for another 4 hours"
Danny frowned "do you still have to take it?"
"I don't know" Thomas admitted
Lydia frowned "What do you mean 'you don't know'?"
"I mean W.C.K.D really fucked me up!" Thomas snapped, shocking the people around him with the ferocity of his tone.
"They didn't just brain wash me, they altered my brain chemistry. They reached into my head and ripped out everything that made me who I was, pulling me apart and rebuilding me until I was the perfect soldier. Forcing me into foreign worlds to hone each strength until I'd reached the peak of my potential. Eliminating my every biological flaw through a series of lives, tests, so that when they were finally satisfied with their creation, that scrawny kid with ADHD you once knew was as good as six feet under."
"Stiles don't say that"
Thomas gestured to his body "the attractiveness of Dylan O'Brien"
He then pulled his hair back from his forehead, revealing a long, almost completely faded surgical scar stretching along his hairline "The knowledge of Stiles Stilinski, the IQ of Stuart Twombly, the strategic skills of Caleb Holloway and the stealth intelligence, and ruthless efficiency of James Gray."
He pulled the collar of his shirt down, exposing two symmetrical circular scars at the base of his neck "the physical potential, and athleticism of Mitch Rapp, and the endurance of Thomas although that one wasn't planned" he finished with a dark chuckle
"What do you mean?" whispered Kira, though she was admittedly scared to ask after the reaction he had to Lydia's question
"For my final test they sent me to New York to infiltrate the avengers ranks and feed them back information from S.H.E.I.L.D, they must've felt threatened by them having a cooler acronym" he joked half-heartedly "this was supposed to strengthen the most recent skills they'd surgically enhanced within me and complete their creation, but it all went tits up. About 6 months into my mission I was kidnapped by a terrorist organisation called Hydra, who you may know turned people of peak physical and mental potential into super soldiers, assets. I spent 2 years as a winter soldier."
Thomas once again pulled his hair back, tracing what looked to be two circular burn scars on either side of his temples "They fried my brain, introducing trigger words to activate their asset at their convenience. I was their most prised possession, the modern assassin. Trained to take orders and kill without mercy"
Scott flinched at his cold tone, how could he say it like that? Like he was just an instrument for them to play how they saw fit, like- like he didn't care?
Thomas took a deep breath "When W.C.K.D. finally got me back all their hard work had been completely undone. The trigger words were nothing to them as they had discovered a much more sophisticated way of mind control, but Hydra had interfered with my abilities and mentality so much that the damage was irreversible, and I was no longer useful to them, so they sent me into the maze...to be killed by group B" he finished, bearing his neck to show his brand mark.
"But against their plans I rebuilt what of myself I could find in the wreckage they left behind and lived long enough to burn them to the ground" he turned to Theo "trying to control a force you cant even hope to understand ain't all its cracked up to be is it"
Theo chuckled "No"
With that Thomas turned back to the screen an indication that he would not be speaking further on this matter, and, if the others weren't shocked to silence they'd probably protest and demand further explanation, but they'd already bitten off more than they could chew and welcomed the distraction with open arms. Though, the memory seemed kind of transparent after having been exposed to the dark truth behind how their boy had changed so much over the time he'd been missing.
"I know but I have school at 8:30, and its my first day, I want to give it heaps of time to set in, so no one thinks I'm weird or freaky"
That woke Noah up "Hey, hey, hey, who the hell gave you that idea?"
"Deputy Johnson" Stiles mumbled hesitantly
Noah swore "look at me Mieczyslaw-"
Gally coughed "Mieczy- what now?"
Thomas sighed, not at all in the mood to talk about something so menial as his birth name, but recognised it as a distraction and latched onto it "Mieczyslaw is the polish nightmare written on my birth certificate"
"How in the hell even do you pronounce that?!" Aris cried
"Mieczyslaw" Derek piped up without missing a beat
Aris brow furrowed in concentration as he tried to repeat what sounded to him like a jumble of letters "Miekoslof"
"No, Mieczyslaw"
"Monikaslav"
"How the fuck did you get that out of that?!"
"I don't know I don't speak polish!" Aris shrieked in his defence "how can you pronounce it so perfectly anyway?"
"When you date someone for three years you tend to spend a lot of time saying their name" Peter answered for his nephew "or in Derek's case screaming it" he added with a smirk
"Ok! That's enough from you" said a bright red Derek, pointedly ignoring Newt's gaze burning a hole in the side of his head as he rushed to clamp his hand over his over sharing uncles face "and for your information I learnt it because when I asked he dared me I couldn't learn to say it properly"
Peter quirked his brow "mmmhmmm" somehow managing to still sound condescending with his mouth forced shut.
Minho coughed "ok let's move on before Newt pops a blood vessel" he suggested, gesturing to said blonde boy who was still glaring at Derek as if he were trying to set the man ablaze.
Thomas was still effected by the deep dive into his memories, barely able to keep himself from sprinting out of the theatre and holing himself up in the gym room, and so grabbing his boyfriends hand and hoping it was enough consolation for the moment was all he could offer for the time being.
"-you are not weird, ok, nor are you freaky and to hell with anyone who tries to tell you otherwise."
Stiles sighed "But he's right, I'm...different from other kids"
"And that's what makes you so special" Claudia whispered to her with a fond smile, warming the heart he'd been trying to find since he was taken.
Noah smiled softly, reaching up to cup his sons cheek "Everyone is different in their own right son, its what makes us so special. Without things that set us apart from others we'd all be the same, and that would make for a pretty beige world wouldn't it?" he asked
Deaton tilted his head "you are a very wise man Mr Stilinski" he told the man who looked surprised at receiving a compliment from the reclusive veterinarian
"Um, thanks?"
Stiles nodded, his doe brown eyes wide as he stared at his father, his demeanor fully rapt in his fathers words.
Noah shrugged "Sure you've got a little more energy than the average kid-"
"It's not just that" Stiles cut in "my hyperactivity I can get away with, I'm six years old, every kid my age is pretty energetic they'll hardly notice. Hyper fixation, another thing I can get away with for at least a couple more years. But my emotional reg'lation and sesnory-"
Mikes eyebrows flew up, "you were a very well-spoken kid"
"Tell me about it" Noah groaned, and Thomas found it in him to send the man a grin, though it didn't reach his eyes
"Sensory" Noah corrected politely
"-Sensory issues are definitely gonna be noticed"
Noah shrugged "that may be so, but let me tell you a little secret son"
Stiles shuffled forwards eager to hear what his dad had to say
"Anyone who has a problem with that is not a real friend, but the people who can see past that will be the truest friends you'll ever make"
"Thanks Dad"
"Anytime squirt, now scooch in might as well sleep with me now that you're here"
"Tata?"
"Yes Stiles?"
"Will mum miss my first day?"
Claudia shook her head furiously "I would never"
"Where were you that night?" Thomas asked
"I was with Talia, Derek's mother" she revealed
Derek's head snapped up "you knew my mother?"
"We'll of course, she was my best friend. At the time Talia had gone into labour with your younger sister Kristina, and I accompanied her to the hospital as her support as your father...was unable to make it"
"You don't have to be nice, the bastard left us when mum was pregnant, I'm not a child anymore I can handle it"
"I know, it's just sometimes I forget you're not a little boy anymore" She smiled "it seems like only yesterday you were sitting on the couch with me, watching over little Kristina whilst your mum was working"
Claudia reached out and took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze "I'm really sorry about what happened" she whispered "I can't imagine what it would've been like for you and Peter"
"Laura and Cora survived as well" Derek told her, "although, Laura passed away a few years ago"
Peter looked down at his lap, digging his nails into the tender skin of his thighs as he was hit with a crushing wave of guilt and shame.
Claudia removed one of her hands from Derek's and reached for Peter as well, "I'm sorry" she whispered again, giving the older Hale a soft smile, her eyes softening knowingly as she looked at him.
Derek returned her smile "Thank you" he said sincerely, looking to Peter, but his uncle was just sitting
"No moje dziecko, mum's just gone to help aunty Talia, she'll be back by morning"
"My child" Claudia translated before anyone could ask
"I love you dad"
"I love you too son" Noah pressed gentle kiss to his forehead "now get some sleep, you've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow"
Chuck watched the scene with rapt attention, his gaze never once straying from the screen. He had never met his own parents, or if he did he didn't remember them. He wondered if his life would've been something like that had W.I.C.K.D not taken him captive. Wondering into his parents room when he had a nightmare, would he have siblings? Cousins? Friends?
Sure, he had found a family in the Gladers and he wouldn't trade them for the world, but he couldn't help but wonder what his life would be like had he grown up with his parents like Thomas had.
[4] A much older Stiles threw a jacket over his shoulder and grabbed the keys to Roscoe "Alright there's dinner in the fridge, I'll see you when I get home"
"Wow you almost look well groomed" Neha teased
Thomas stuck his tongue out at her
Noah looked up from his newspaper "Where are you going?"
"On a date, I should be back either late tonight or early tomorrow morning" he added with a wink
"You really didn't hide anything from each other did you?" Kira whispered
Thomas shrugged "he was I all I had, that year I had to lie to him about the supernatural was the toughest year I'd faced since mum died, after that I couldn't bare lying to him about anything"
"I understand how you feel" she said sincerely "and I'm sorry you had to go through that pain alone"
Scott was pretty miffed at the insinuation that Stiles couldn't have turned to him for support but, recognising he was on thin ice, decided not to say anything.
Thomas reached for her hand, giving it a light squeeze "Thank you"
She squeezed back "Anytime"
Noah rolled his eyes "Don't get anyone pregnant"
"..with a guy dad"
"Don't get pregnant then"
Coach spat out his drink
"Ok first of all I'm a guy, I don't know if you're aware of this, but I don't exactly have the facilities for that, and second of all what makes you think I'm the bottom?" Stiles accused looking highly affronted
"To be far you didn't exactly give the impression that you could man handle anyone let alone a guy who was most likely double your body weight, you were a streak of piss" stated Erika in a matter-of-fact tone
Thomas looked very offended at her comment "I'll have you know that even back when I was 'a streak of piss' I was throwing Derek's around like rag dolls" he told her with an indigent sniff
Sensing the deeply disturbing turn the conversation was taking, Mike lurched forward and clamped his hands over Sydney's ears, refusing to let his ray of sunshine be tainted by these horny monsters
"Bullshit all the Derek's you dated were half a foot taller than you, and literal walls of muscle"
"Yes and those Derek's loved being fucked up against a wall and thrown around their apartments" Thomas smirked knowing it was futile to try and make Erika of all people uncomfortable, but still taking the opportunity to watch everyone else squirm at the intimate detail
"Well those Derek's probably felt bad and did half the work for your scrawny ass" Erika quipped, refusing to back down
"I wasn't scrawny!"
"In comparison to a Derek you were"
Derek shifted in his seat, taking a chance at attempting to sway the current topic "I am very uncomfortable with this conversation"
"Shut up Derek!" the two yelled in unison
Said werewolf snaped his mouth shut and sunk into his chair
"Alright Derek's right that's enough! We have memories to watch" Claudia said taking pity on him
"Yes Claudia"
"Yes mum"
Claudia nodded and turned her attention back to the screen, satisfied with Stiles and Erika's chastised expressions and Derek's relieved sigh.
Noah shrugged "I've just noticed that all the guys you've been with so far...are Derek's"
Lydia smirked "You definitely had a type" she said earning laughs from the beacon hills gang
"I don't actually, I dated all manner of men, you guys just only focused on the super sexy buff ones because you thought I was way out of their league"
At that they all looked ashamed, realising the truth in his words along with the undertones of genuine hurt lining his voice.
"Sorry Stiles"
Thomas waved them off "it's fine" he said smirking "besides the only guy I want you to notice is this one right here, as I plan for him to be the last"
Newt scoffed "sap"
"You love me"
"unfortunately" the blonde muttered fondly, leaning down to plant a chaste kiss on his boyfriends lips "you'll just have to get used to scrawny, because you're stuck with me for the rest of our lives"
Thomas sighed "well, I guess I can live with that" he said, then smirked "but only if you give me a kiss first"
Newt obliged and Erica pretended to gag
Peter rolled his eyes "we get it you're in love and happy and not dead inside like the rest of us, but can we move on now?"
Thomas shot him the bird, but Horai was way too happy to continue on with the memories, like yes they were absolutely adorable...but it only reminded her of how devastatingly single she was and raised her standards way too high.
"of course" she said, replaying the memories with a wave of her hand
"Unbelievable" Stiles muttered "you do think I'm the bottom"
Noah looked him up and down with a quirked eyebrow "Can you blame me?"
"Excuse me? You don't think I could top a Derek? because I could top a Derek"
Derek sunk further down in his chair, his flushed cheeks standing out even in the dimmed light of the theatre as old memories of his relationship with Stiles flashed through his mind. namely the ones where he was bent over and begging for the boy to fuck him harder.
Peter raised an eyebrow at his nephew, of course he knew what he was thinking about, he lived in the same house as them...he heard everything, and he was scarred for life.
"Alright I'm sorry for doubting you" Noah said raising his hands in mock defeat
Stiles glared at him "You should be, just for that you don't get your cheat day this week"
Claudia quirked an eyebrow at her husband who was now pouting like a four year old in his chair
"WHAT? NO!" Noah cried, regretting teasing his son "Look I'm sorry please, I've been doing well, I haven't tried sneaking anything in months!" he begged, but alas his son showed no mercy
"I don't care"
"You can't of actually expected that to work" Claudia said, barely holding back laughter
Noah narrowed his eyes her "a man can hope"
At that she giggled, "sorry love but you should've known better than to try win an argument against our son" chuckled, placing a sympathetic hand on the man's shoulder
"C'mon Stiles please, It's the only thing that keeps me sane"
"You should've thought of that before you insulted me by saying I couldn't top a Derek" he said storming out the door, before re-opening it and calling out
"And for your information I'm a switch!"
"switches have more fun" Neha stated knowledgeably
Nic shot her a funny look "don't you mean blondes have more fun?" he asked
"I said what I said"
Newt leaned in close to his boyfriend "you've got a really weird group of people here Tommy"
The man nodded "they're fucked up, but they're my family" he whispered "and I wouldn't have it any other way" he said pressing a gentle kiss to the blondes temple and turning back to the screen
[5] Noah excitedly opens a takeaway box, only to be greeted by the devastating sight of cut celery and carrots rather than the greasy cheeseburger and chips he'd been so keen for.
"Oh hell, why are you trying to ruin my life?"
Mike stood abruptly from his seat "IT WAS YOU!" he screeched, pointing an accusing finger in Thomas direction "YOU'RE THE REASON SYDNEY'S BEEN REPLACING MY TAKEAWAY WITH RABBIT FOOD!"
Thomas tilted his head, "I don't know what you mean" he said, looking for al he was worth like the picture of innocence
Mike was spewing "YOU RUINED MY LIFE!"
"Extended" Sydney corrected, earning herself a high-five from her uncle
Mike slumped back in his seat defeated, why was his entire family playing against him? all he wanted was a good, cheesy burger and his family was trying to kill him with chickpea patties and grated cabbage
Donald patted the man's shoulder silently promising to buy him a burger and fries once this whole viewing schtick was over.
"I'm trying to extend your life"
Mike glared at Caleb and his daughter, who sat giggling in the front row, "food sabotaging demons" he muttered
Noah watches looks up, watching his son eat with sad eyes as the weight of that statement rests upon him. He sighs looking dejectedly at his box of 'rabbit food' but eats the offending vegetables with no further complaint.
Claudia, only just catching the true depth of her sons habits laced her fingers with Noah's, a stray tear falling down her cheek. Logically she knew there was nothing she could've done to stop her illness, it was beyond her control. But her heart twisted painfully in her chest, screaming that it was her fault, her fault, her fault. Her fault that her son had to grow up with the constant fear that he could lose his father at any moment not only because of his job, but because of her. Because she left him alone. Because she wasn't there, and she would never forgive herself.
Thomas looked away from the screen, subconsciously tightening his hold around Newt as he remembered the overwhelming, crushing fear he faced everyday that he could lose his father to bad cholesterol, or getting shot. Or that he could suddenly develop the same disease as his mother, that he would say those same awful things to him..
"he's trying to kill me"
"You killed your mother, you hear me? You killed her, and now your killing me"
And he wouldn't blame them...because it would be his fault.
[6] Noah kneels behind a young Stiles, who appears to be holding a 9mm aimed at a silhouette target.
"Right, keep your hands steady, that's it" he said, gently adjusting Stiles hold on the gun "now turn off the safety"
Stan watched the scene with approval, it was clear that Noah knew what was doing and it was so rare to find someone who not only possessed a skill set desirable to the CIA but also had the capacity to teach someone else. Maybe he could convince the man to leave his job as the sheriff and come teach those arrogant trainees that are streaming into the CIA like a cat on laxatives.
He let him go and took a step back "Keep your stance firm and take the shot"
Taking a deep breath Stiles pulled the trigger, the bullet hitting the target directly in the chest, just shy of where the heart would be
Stiles spun around to face his dad "Papa I did it!!"
Minho's hands flew up to his face "OH MY GOSH YOU WERE LITERALLY SO ADORABLE"
"He just shot a target in the chest with almost perfect precision" Gally stated blandly
"BUT LOOK AT THOSE CHEEKS! SO CHUBBY!"
Gally just shook his head at the runner, he's actually insane
"Woaho! Nice shot sport" Noah clapped him on the back "keep shooting like that and you'll put me out of the job"
Thomas shook his head "no one could ever be a better sheriff than you pops"
Noah smiled, "thanks kid" he said as he leaned forward to ruffle his hair
Stiles answering grin covered his face, lighting up the room with its joy, his missing teeth making the expression all the more endearing, leaving off on a good note as the screen slowly faded to black.
Allison melted "That is the cutest thing I've ever seen in my entire life"
"The connection between you and your father is very strong" Mnemosyne said with a soft smile "never lose that"
Looking over to his dad Thomas says "I won't"
"that was such a beautiful set of memories" Kira gushed "you're bond was truly evident and seeing you as a young child was so adorable"
Thomas chuckled "thanks Kira"
"Are we ready for the next set of memories?" Horai asked
Liam looked at her curiously "are we still watching Stiles relationships"
"Which one's next?" Thomas asked after she nodded in confirmation to Liam's question
"Derek"
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word count - 9,856
Hi everyone, I am so sorry it's taken me so long to update I've been really stressed out lately with school work and just had a lot of writers block.
I plan on updating a lot more regularly though there still may be some time between updates as I am a full time year 12 student at the moment, but I will do my best.
Also I've been working on this story for a long time and since then my some of mg opinions and my writing style has changed, so I am currently working on an edited version of this story that I will begin posting when it's finished. So let me know what things about this story you'd like to keep and what you'd like to see changed :)
Thank you all so much for reading, I really hope you enjoyed this chapter <3